I know nothing about manuscript illumination, except that, when I was a child I planned to be either a gargoyle carver or an illuminator when I grew up. Both ambitions were doomed, needless to say, because I was born at the wrong time - and, had I been born at a time when either of these occupations were growth industries, I don't suppose I'd have had a look in anyway, since I am, chiz, a
gurl. Also I'm left handed so I imagine all my manuscripts - had I been allowed to produce any - would have been horribly smudged, since moving left to right with a left hand generally produces this result.
But, to quote the ever useful adage, "I know what I like" when it comes to illuminations, and I liked almost all the ones I saw at Frieze Masters. I was also very grateful when the dealers from Basel -www.guenther-rarebooks.com - noticing my interest, kindly gave me two of their catalogues. I plan to read them and thus become someone who actually knows something about illuminated manuscripts.
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Compendium made for Juan II of Spain, 1425 |
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Hofmann prayer book in German, illustrated by Nikolaus Glockendon, 1513-14, Nurnberg |
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Book of Hours, (use of Rome), Austria, Salzburg, 1450-60 |
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Book of Hours, in Dutch (use of Utrecht), illustrated by the Masters of the Zwolle bible and the Masters of Margriet Uutenham, Netherlands, Arnhem and Zwolle, c. 1470 |
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Gagne book of hours, illuminted by the Masters of the Burgundian Prelates, Autun or Dijon, 1480-90 |
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Book of Hours, use of Tours, illuminated by Master of Claude of France & workshop, Tours, 1500-08 |
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Ludolphus Cartusiensis, Vita Christi, translated by Guillaume Lemenand, Vol. II, illustrated by the Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse, 1506-08, Paris |
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Book of Hours, use of Cambrai, illuminated by Charles V & a second artist, Hainaut, Valenciennes/Cambrai (?) c.1520 |
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Book of Hours, use of Rome, in Latin, French calendar, illuminated by Master of Petrarch's Triumphs, Tours, 1490-1500 |
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House of Charles V, use of Rome, illuminated by Gerard Horenbout, Flanders, Malines (?), 1515-1520 |
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Giovanni Bocaccio, Des Cas des nobles hommes et femmes, French translation by Laurent de Premierfait, illuminated in the circle of Maitre Francois, Paris, 1470 |
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Book of Hours, for the use of Troyes, in Latin, with French calendar, illuminated by the Master of Grand Heures de Rohan, Troyes, 1415-1420 |
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Book of Hours, use of Paris, illuminated by the Mazarine master, the Boethius master & two other artists, Paris, c.1405-15 |
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This plus next two pictures: Titus Livius, Les Decades, translated into French by Pierre Bersuire, illuminated by Henri d'Orquevaulz, written by the scribe Jeannin de Rouen, Metz, dated 1410 |
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This picture, plus next four: from the Zwolle Bible, illuminated by the Masters of the Zwolle Bible, Zwolle, 21st December, 1474 |
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St John, historiated initial I from a leaf of The Homilies of St Augustine, at Octave of St John, Italy, 1150 |
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This, plus next three pictures: The Adoration of the Magi, from an illuminated antiphonal, Tournai, (?), 1400-10, tempera & gold leaf on vellum |
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This & next: also from an illuminated antiphonal, as above |
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This picture, plus next two: Leaves from an annotated pontifical for Roman use, illuminated within the circle of St Marco, Barcelona, 1350-1360 |
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Biblia Latina, pocket Bible, with the prologues ascribed to St Jerome, calendar & the interpretation of Hebrew names, Paris, c.1250 |
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Beauchamp-Corbet hours, Book of Hours, use of Sarum, in Latin & Anglo-Norman, illuminated by the Milimete workshop, (de Bois master), London, c.1328 |
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This picture, plus next: Biblia Latina, illuminated by the workshop of the "Bible Moralisee", Paris, 1220-30 |
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This picture plus next three: Despite the fact that this was one of the star attractions, I've lost all details of it, except that the illuminator was the Master of the Toison d'Or, I think (hopeless of me, I know) |
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The Moneypenny Hours with 49 images by the Master of the Chronique Scandeleuse, use of Paris, in Latin & French, 1490 |
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The Guyenet- Lardanchet Hours, with 19 miniatures by the Master of the Troyes missal, use of Paris, Troyes, 1460 |
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Book of Hours from Lyon with 14 miniatures by Guillaume II Le Roy, Lyons, 1495-1510 |
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The Villeneuve Hours with 22 miniatures by the Masters of the Gold Scrolls, Bruges, 1450 |
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A book of hours for export to England, with 47 miniatures by Willem de Vrelant of Bruges, Bruges, c.1450-75 |
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The Bliss Hours, with 15 miniatures by the Master of the Geneva Latini, Rouen, c1465 |
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The Ovray Hours, for export to England with signed miniatures by the Master of Otto van Mordrecht, likely Bruges, c-1430 to before 1449 |
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Book of Hours with 15 miniatures by an early Netherlandish artist, Paris, 1415-20 |
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The only known manuscript of Philippe de Vigneuilles's La Chanson de Geste de Garin Le Loherain, Metz, 1515-1527/8 |
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Astronomical handbook on the planets, in the tradition of Ptolemy, Verona, c.1580-1600 |
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Gawain & His Nine Companions in Search of Lancelot, Dunois Master, possibly Jean Haincelin, active in Paris, c.1435-1450s |
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Gawain Fighting Gloadain the Seneschal, artist as above |
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Mocking of Christ, Maestro dei Fondi Giallini, active in Cremona c.1450-1482 |
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Monks Singing, Nicolo di Giacomo, active Bologna, documented from 1349- c.1403 |
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St Catherine of Alexandria, German artist, perhaps Cologne, c.1450 |
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Joseph of Arimathea & Nicodemus in the Passion of Christ, from the Prayerbook of the Enriquez de Ribera family, artist Simon Bening, born 1483 Ghent; died 1561 Bruges) |
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The long lost first volume of the bible of Louis de Harcourt, patriarch of Jerusalem and Bishop of Bayeux, Paris, 1260-80 |
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The book of Sydrac of Joan of France, Queen of Navarre, Paris, c.1325-50 |
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Barbet Book of Hours, use of Paris, illuminated by at least three masters, Paris c.1400-10 |
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Prayer book written in the local vernacular, Cologne, c.1486 |
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This, plus next three pictures: Book of Hours, use of Paris, in Latin, early 15th century |