Breviary

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Accession number:

MS M.1042

Title:

Breviary

Created:

Paris, France, 1285-1297.

Binding:

Early 19th-century brown calf, covers with blind-stamped panels and borders, each highlighted with gilt rules, six-compartment spine, five with repeated floral gilt stamp, one with red morocco label.

Credit:

Purchased on the Fellows Fund, with the special assistance of Mrs. W. Rodman Fay, 1983.

Description:

101 leaves (2 columns, 25 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 192 x 125 mm

Provenance:

Nicolo de Vercenne; "Maximilien"; Pierre Gelis-Didot; his sale, Paris, Librairie Théophile Belin, Apr. 12-13, 1897, lot 6; Henry Yates Thompson (Ms. 72); Anne-Marie Huth Jackson; John A. Saks; his sale, New York, Christie's, May 20, 1983, lot 48.

Notes:

Ms. breviary for the use of Sainte-Chapelle (calendar); written and illuminated in Paris, France, between 1285 and 1297 (Calendar is dated between 1285, which marks the death of King Philip III (his calendar obit), and 1297, the canonization of King Louis of France [Louis IX], may have been commissioned by Marie of Brabant, widow of Philip III.)
Calendar includes three feasts, Dedicatio capelle regis parisiensis (04.26), Susceptio sancte corone domini (08.11), and Susceptio reliquiarum in capellam regis (09.30), and commemorates numerous feasts of Parisian saints.
Calendar mentions obits of Louis VII of France (1180.09.19), Philip Augustus (1223.07.14), Obitus interfectorum in Egypto a Saracenis (1249.04.07), Isabella of Aragon (1271.01.28), and Philip III of France (Le Hardi) (1285.10.06), husband of Marie of Brabant.
Decoration: 8 historiated initials with marginal extensions, some with anthropomorphic terminals, 24 calendar illustrations (occupations fo the months and the signs of the zodiac).
Artist: probably illuminated by the artist of the so-called Breviary of Philip the Fair (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale, Lat. 1023)--Cf. Twentieth report to the Fellows of the Pierpont Morgan Library.

Script:

textura

Language:

Latin

Resources:

Description/Bibliography

Century:

13th century

Genres:

Breviaries

Illuminated manuscripts

Miniatures (Illuminations)