The Catherine Hours
Available
France
1400 - 1500
Books of Hours

The Catherine Hours

  • Workshop of the Harvard Hannibal Master

Manuscript in Latin with French prayers on vellum,

France, Paris, c. 1420-1425

267 x 187 mm

Price on request.

329 of (most likely 340) leaves. 25 large miniatures, remainder of calendar with 12 marginal rondels showing the zodiac and labours of the months. Red velvet binding, probably from the end of the 15th century, with seven of eight brass corners, brass clasps (not intact), nine out of ten brass buckles in form of wheels, probably referring to St. Catherine and thus to the presumed owner of the manuscript.

A spectacular manuscript with highly unusual, often erotic marginal decoration throughout, this fantastic personal devotional book was certainly made for a female patron, who was probably named Catherine.

A prestige production of this kind and its date suggest a royal provenance. This codex offers wonderful insights into the bawdy imagination of medieval artists and patrons, as well as a possible glimpse into the personal life of Queen Cathérine de Valois (1401-1437), who is our strongest contender for a possible first owner of this exquisite, endlessly entertaining, and surprisingly naughty treasure.

Three artists are responsible for the marvellous illuminations that can be stylistically connected to the Parisian artist dubbed the Master of the Harvard Hannibal. He is named after his miniature painting in a copy of Livy’s Décades. The fact that the Master of the Harvard Hannibal was frequently entrusted with creating frontispieces in deluxe manuscripts demonstrates the high esteem in which he was held by his contemporaries. He was an enormously talented illuminator, yet no monograph has been dedicated to this prolific artist.

This impressive manuscript was a collaborative project with a clear shared vision by all three artists; they deployed the same techniques of modelling and decoration. The modelling of the figures consists of delicate tiny lines of dots in grey, brown, and reddish hues layered over a grey-green foundation. Draperies are smooth and flowing and entirely dedicated to the soft style of the International Gothic. Hems are often accentuated with a thin golden line and a row of dots. Some of the angels’ tunics are painted in sumptuous liquid gold. Occasionally the backgrounds are finely diapered with burnished gold and colours. Scenery usually consists of the same elements, all of which come from the repertoire of the Harvard Hannibal Master: spiralling rocks, treetops fanned out like palm trees, and buildings with tipped pinnacles. The characteristic dark blue skies with golden rays, aureoles, or stars are very typical are for this style.

The lively, fanciful, and sometimes even explicit and erotic marginal decorations are an outstanding feature of this Book of Hours. They range from funny, loveable creatures with flowing scarfs, appalled looking owls, pensive catlike animals (f. 27v), to male figures showing their bare behinds or juggling while presenting their groins (f. 78r).

Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Holy Family in a garden, surrounded by richly detailed floral and vine borders with angels playing instruments in the lower margin.
f. 311r Holy Family in Garden
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Presentation in the Temple inside a Gothic interior, with an owl and a jaybird in the lower border among decorative foliage.
f. 51 Presentation in the Temple, in the lower border an owl and a jaybird
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing the Virgin and Child with an angel offering a bowl of cherries, surrounded by dense floral borders with a crown entwined in the outer tendrils.
f. 90r Virgin and child with an angel who brings a bowl with cherries, in the outer border the crown again is entwined in the tendrils
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Virgin and Child with Saint John the Evangelist beneath a patterned arch, framed by delicate floral and vine decoration.
f. 95r Virgin and child with St. John the Evangelist
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing King David in penance before God in a wooded landscape, with tiny climbing figures woven into the vine borders.
f. 212r David in penance before God, with little climbing figures in the vines
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting Saint Catherine beneath a patterned canopy, surrounded by brightly colored floral and foliate borders.
f. 129r Saint Catherine
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing a funeral mass inside a church with acolytes, a gravedigger, and a bellringer, with mourning figures incorporated into the decorative borders.
f. 236r Funeral Mass in a church interior, with acolytes, a gravedigger, a bellringer, and a mourning figure in the borders
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Virgin Mary and Christ Child surrounded by angels playing music, while a kneeling patroness prays at Mary’s feet within elaborate floral borders.
f. 292r Mary and her son surrounded by angels playing music, the patroness kneeling at Mary’s feet praying
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing the Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, with Christ praying among seraphim and cherubim incorporated into the decorative borders.
f. 136 Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, with seraphim and cherubim in the border
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Last Judgement, framed by intricate floral borders and vivid ornamental foliage.
f. 318 Last Judgement
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing Christ before Caiaphas, with small human figures climbing among the vines in the decorative border.
f. 145v Christ before Caiaphas, with small men in the vines
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the martyrdom of Saint Sebastian, shown bound and pierced with arrows within an ornate floral frame.
f. 206 Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing the Flagellation of Christ, framed by elaborate floral borders containing praying angels.
f. 208r Flagellation, with praying Angels in the border
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting Christ’s Entombment, with mourners gathered around the tomb and an old man in a bright orange cloak standing at the bottom of the page.
f. 169v Christ’s Entombment, with an old man in bright orange cloak at the bottom of the page
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript showing the Descent from the Cross, with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus lowering Christ’s body while figures mourn below.
f. 165v Descent from the Cross, in a very moving scene with Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus lowering Christ’s dead body to the ground
Illuminated page from a 15th century medieval manuscript depicting the Crucifixion, with Christ on the cross surrounded by mourners and framed by decorative floral borders.
f. 158v Crucifixion

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