These three splendid full-page
miniatures
probably belonged to a Book of Hours
which has
since been dismantled. Books of Hours
were
used in private devotions and provided
lay
people with the opportunity to follow a
shorter
version of the prayers recited in the
monasteries.
By imitating the activity of the
religious, men and
women hoped to aid their own salvation.
The
three main scenes depicted were all
common in
this type of manuscript. The
annunciation of the
birth of Christ to the shepherds is
often found at
beginning of Terce, part of the Hours of
the
Virgin. The flight into Egypt is usually
depicted at
the start of Vespers. King David and his
harp
frequently make an appearance at the
start of the
Penitential Psalms as he is
traditionally believed
to be their author. One of the most
remarkable
features of these examples is the fact
that the
borders around the main images are fully
illustrated with narrative scenes. They
are also
created using full colour not single
tones. This
was relatively unusual and is a measure
of the
care lavished upon them. Some of the
subsidiary
scenes depict actual Biblical events
such as the
massacre of the innocents. Others are
more
fanciful such as the band of peasants
dancing
beneath the annunciation to the
shepherds. They
were intended to delight the owner and
provide a
visual explanation of the accompanying
text.
Although illuminated manuscripts were
originally
produced in monasteries, by the late
fifteenth
century specialised workshops fulfilled
the same
function. This period has been termed
the
‘golden age’ of illumination. By this
date the art
was closely related to panel painting
and the
same artists often worked in both media.
The
figure of the godhead in the David
illumination,
for example, finds parallel in works by
figures
such as Hans Memling and Van Eyck. The
style
therefore suggests that they were
created in
northern Europe, possibly in a workshop
in
France or Flanders. The detailed
landscapes and
city views are particularly exquisite
and recall
these traditions. There was a vibrant
export trade
in these works which were sought after
commodities in the leading European
courts.
Illuminated manuscripts were the
preserve of
those with ample disposable income,
partly
because their production was so time-
consuming. In contrast to printed
alternatives the
materials were also costly. The use of
gold leaf
on the framing devices confirms this. It
has been
deliberately placed over layers of red
pigment so
that it glows with an intense warmth.
This type of
gilding required immense skill and its
secrets
were closely guarded. Contemporary guild
regulations stipulate that only the most
qualified
painters were allowed to practice it.
The lively
detail of the figures make these pages a
visual
feast and a window onto the religiosity
of the
late middle ages. (AM)
