Medieval Book of Hours Leaf, c. 1450

Original leaf from a medival manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of red ruled text, written in Latin, with dark brown ink in gothis script on animal vellum. One four-line initial in lue on burnished gold ground with an internal ivy leaf design. One two-line initial, four one-line initials, and one line-extender in gold on blue and red grounds with delicate white tracery. The highly elaborate rinceaux border contains a floral motif with acanthus leaves, ivy, and strawberries ( symbol of perfect righteousness) in colors of red, blue, green, brushed gold and burnished gold.This leaf is from Paris and is dated around 1450.The four-line O” begins the Obsecro Te ( I beeseech you, Mary, holy lady, mother of god, most full of piety, daughter of the greatest king, most glorious mother, mother of orphans, consolation of the desolate, the way for those who stray, salvation for those who hope in you…).Book of Hours are personal prayer books 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, which could both appreciate and afford them.

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