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![BOOK OF HOURS, use of Utrecht, in Dutch, DECORATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [North Holland, Haarlem, 1480s]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2014/CKS/2014_CKS_01584_0021_002(book_of_hours_use_of_utrecht_in_dutch_decorated_manuscript_on_vellum_n015052).jpg?w=1)
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Details
BOOK OF HOURS, use of Utrecht, in Dutch, DECORATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, [North Holland, Haarlem, 1480s]
175 x 120 mm. 143 leaves. APPARENTLY COMPLETE. THIRTY-SEVEN LARGE INITIALS WITH MEYNAERT STYLE PENWORK FORMING PARTIAL OR THREE-SIDED BORDERS (torn crease in side margin f.63, slightly cut into upper marginal decoration on a few leaves). 19th-century red morocco gilt.
PROVENANCE:
1) Both text and decoration indicate that the manuscript was produced in Haarlem (M. Hülsmann, ‘Met Prosper Verheyden op pad: Noord-Hollandse boekbanden op nieuw belicht. Lam Gods-paneelstempels versus penwerkdecoratie’, C. Coppens et al. eds, E codicibus impressisque. Opstellen over het boek in de Lage Landen voor Elly Cockx-Indestege, III, 2004, pp.97-137). 2) HENRIETTA FRANCES, COUNTESS OF BESSBOROUGH (1761-1821), daughter of the 1st Earl Spencer and wife of Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough from 1793: her bookplate inside upper cover. Now eclipsed in notoriety by her sister Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and her daughter Lady Caroline Lamb, Lady Bessborough was famed for her lovers, among them the playwright Sheridan. 3) ALLAN HEYWOOD BRIGHT.
CONTENT:
Haarlem Calendar ff.1-14v; Office of the Virgin, use of Utrecht, in the translation of Geert Grote ff.15-46; Long Hours of the Cross with prologue ff.47-66; Hours of Eternal Wisdom with prologue; Long Hours of the Holy Ghost ff.84-100v; Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.101-115; Office of the Dead, use of Utrecht, ff.116-142.
DECORATION:
The exuberant and colourful penwork is very close to that in a Book of Hours printed in Delft in 1484, where the distinctive flourishing includes the instruction to pray for Brother Meynaert, presumably its creator (The Hague, KB 169 G 57, A. Korteweg, Kriezels, aubergines en takkenbossen, 1992, pp.92-3, 104-5). Books of Hours with penwork decoration and no miniatures were especially popular in the County of Holland: the Meynaert style has been securely localised to Haarlem during the 1480s, occurring also in Books of Hours dated 1481 (The Hague KB 74 F 2), 1482 (Morlanwelz Musée royal de Marlemont, nr 12,614) and 1488 (Brussels KBR IV 271), see Hülsmann, pp.112-3. Brother Meynaert possibly belonged to the Augustinian house of Our Lady of the Visitation, just outside Haarlem, known to have been involved in book production.
The fine condition and clean margins of the present lot enable a full appreciation of the varied hues and vibrant forms of the only Dutch penwork style to be associated with a named individual.
175 x 120 mm. 143 leaves. APPARENTLY COMPLETE. THIRTY-SEVEN LARGE INITIALS WITH MEYNAERT STYLE PENWORK FORMING PARTIAL OR THREE-SIDED BORDERS (torn crease in side margin f.63, slightly cut into upper marginal decoration on a few leaves). 19th-century red morocco gilt.
PROVENANCE:
1) Both text and decoration indicate that the manuscript was produced in Haarlem (M. Hülsmann, ‘Met Prosper Verheyden op pad: Noord-Hollandse boekbanden op nieuw belicht. Lam Gods-paneelstempels versus penwerkdecoratie’, C. Coppens et al. eds, E codicibus impressisque. Opstellen over het boek in de Lage Landen voor Elly Cockx-Indestege, III, 2004, pp.97-137). 2) HENRIETTA FRANCES, COUNTESS OF BESSBOROUGH (1761-1821), daughter of the 1st Earl Spencer and wife of Frederick Ponsonby, 3rd Earl of Bessborough from 1793: her bookplate inside upper cover. Now eclipsed in notoriety by her sister Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and her daughter Lady Caroline Lamb, Lady Bessborough was famed for her lovers, among them the playwright Sheridan. 3) ALLAN HEYWOOD BRIGHT.
CONTENT:
Haarlem Calendar ff.1-14v; Office of the Virgin, use of Utrecht, in the translation of Geert Grote ff.15-46; Long Hours of the Cross with prologue ff.47-66; Hours of Eternal Wisdom with prologue; Long Hours of the Holy Ghost ff.84-100v; Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.101-115; Office of the Dead, use of Utrecht, ff.116-142.
DECORATION:
The exuberant and colourful penwork is very close to that in a Book of Hours printed in Delft in 1484, where the distinctive flourishing includes the instruction to pray for Brother Meynaert, presumably its creator (The Hague, KB 169 G 57, A. Korteweg, Kriezels, aubergines en takkenbossen, 1992, pp.92-3, 104-5). Books of Hours with penwork decoration and no miniatures were especially popular in the County of Holland: the Meynaert style has been securely localised to Haarlem during the 1480s, occurring also in Books of Hours dated 1481 (The Hague KB 74 F 2), 1482 (Morlanwelz Musée royal de Marlemont, nr 12,614) and 1488 (Brussels KBR IV 271), see Hülsmann, pp.112-3. Brother Meynaert possibly belonged to the Augustinian house of Our Lady of the Visitation, just outside Haarlem, known to have been involved in book production.
The fine condition and clean margins of the present lot enable a full appreciation of the varied hues and vibrant forms of the only Dutch penwork style to be associated with a named individual.
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