c 1460 Book of Hours Leaf - elaborate borders - written in Dutch

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Original leaf from a medieval Book of Hours.  19 lines of ruled text, written in medieval Dutch with dark brown ink in fine Gothic script, on animal vellum. (170 x 120mm – 6 5/8 x 4 ¾’’)

One illuminated five-line initial in burnished gold with an interior floral design in pink, red and gold on a green ground and all resting on a pink ground with delicate white penwork; two two-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on a blue or pink ground. Recto has a burnished gold bar along the text ending with a delicate floral bouquet top and bottom in pink, green, blue and burnished gold. Verso has a three-quarter burnished gold bar along the text surrounded with a floral design in blue, green, red, pink and both liquid and burnished gold with a bird resting on a branch holding another branch in his beak.    

Netherlands, c. 1460.

The Dutch text on this leaf contains a portion of the Hours of the Cross for the Hours of Sext and Prime. The five-line illuminated “G” begins:  “God wilt…” (Incline unto my aid O God. O Lord make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son…).

The Dutch (Low Countries) were the first to break the tradition of using Latin in Prayer Books and Books of Hours.  In England, France and Italy, Latin continued to be the primary liturgical language throughout the 1400’s.

Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-12863
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