Book of Hours Leaf (Decorative Panel Borders)

This is an original leaf from a medieval Book of Hours. The text consists of 16 lines, ruled in red, written in French with dark brown and red ink in gothic script on animal vellum. There are four two-line initials and one line extender in gold on blue and red ground, with delicate white tracery. The panel border contains an intricate ivy-leaf design with flowers and strawberries (the symbol of perfect righteousness). There are a few small, very old wormholes either in between the text or in the margin.This leaf commemorates the Fifteen Joys of the Virgin: Etres doulce dame?” The prayer was one of the most popular of all accessory prayers – especially in fifteenth century France. It celebrates the joyous moments of the Virgin’s life. This is one of the very few leaves written in French – once the prayer was completed, the text reverted to Latin.Book of Hours are personal prayerbooks of a devout and status-conscious society and are not only works of art, but cultural documents of their time. They reveal a unique combination of sacred and secular imagery – made of the finest materials, by the best craftsmen, for a small audience that could both appreciate and afford them.

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