National Library of Sweden, A 228
Book of Hours
Flanders, 16th century, first quarter
parchment
ii, 229, ii' leaves
205–210 × 140 mm
Latin
Notable feasts:
f. 5r: St Vedast and St Amand (6 Feb.);
f. 6r: St Vindicianus (11 Mar.);
f. 7v: St Ursmar (18 Apr.);
f. 9r: St Landelinus (15 June);
f. 11r: St Gaugericus (11 Aug.);
f. 12r: St Humbert (6 Sep.); St Aichard (15 Sep.);
f. 13r: St Ghislenus (9 Oct.);
f. 13v: St Amatus (19 Oct.); St Amand (26 Oct., translation);
f. 16r: blank.
f. 214r: St Michael;
f. 214v: John the Baptist;
f. 215v: John the Apostle;
f. 216v: St Peter and St Paul;
f. 217v: Five Saints;
f. 218v: St Sebastian;
f. 219v: St Adrian;
f. 220v: St Anthony;
f. 221v: St Quentin;
f. 222r: St Nicholas;
f. 223r: St Hubert;
f. 223v. St Fiacre;
f. 224r: St Mary Magdalen;
f. 225r: St Anne;
f. 226r: Five virgins;
f. 227r: St Appolonia;
f. 228r: Antiphon for the dead.
Support
Foliation
Collation
Layout
Script
Textblock
Hand 1
Gothic textualis.Additions
Binding/Endleaves
Decorations
Binding/Endleaves
(RCI), (f. SL1r), (f. SR2v) and (RCI) are decorated with a glued on paper with a printed diamond grid in blue and red.
Textblock
Main text in dark brown ink, rubrics in red.
17 full-page miniatures, always matched with a facing page large decorated initial that opens the relevant section.
All miniatures are enclosed by marginal decorations in the shape of rectangular frames, where the main scene is seen through a porch/window with a segmental arch (with the exception of 18v). The frames have an architectural design, e.g. (f. 25v), or realistically depicted flowers, birds, and insects painted in trompe l’oeil, e.g. (f. 16v). The borders occasionally also makes use of smaller text plates, e.g. (f. 89v) where the text ‘o tres regis ’works as a title for the illustration, or (f. 63v) and (f. 64r) which contain double sets of text plates with the hymn ‘Gressum cepit cum concepit’.
The motifs consist of standard scenes associated with the succeeding prayers with central characters portrayed in clothing in an ancient/Biblical styel and minor characters in late-medieval clothing. The backgrounds often feature castles or other buildings (either from the inside or the outside). The use of aeriael and central perspective together with the window framing creates a sense of depth. The miniature motifs are as follows:
(Hours of the Holy Cross) (f. 16v) : Christ praying in the Garden of Gethsemane; (f. 18v) : the Flagellation of Christ; (f. 20v) : the Mocking of Christ/Crowning with Thorns; (f. 22v) : Christ Carrying the Cross; (f. 25v) : the Lamentation of Christ; (f. 27v) : the Entombment; (Hours of the Holy Spirit) (f. 29v) : Pentecost; (Hours of the Virgin) (f. 40v) : the Annunciation; (f. 63v) : the Visitation; (f. 77v) : the Nativity; (f. 83v) : the Annunciation to the Shepherds; (f. 89v) : the Adoration of the Magi; (f. 95v) : the Presentation in the temple; (f. 101v) : the Massacre of the Innocents; (f. 111v) : the Flight into Egypt; (f. 118v) : David in prayer (Seven penitential psalms); (f. 151v) : the Raising of Lazarus ( Office for the dead).
(ff. 19r–206r): New sections are opened by decorated initials over 4 lines. The intials are made up of acanthus leaves and other folitate ornaments in gold imitating yellow-brownish hues.
The letters are placed on rectangular backgrounds in red or blue, enclosed by a thin framing line in gold. Shadows around the letter bodies create an illusion of depth. The initials and the following text are often surrounded by borders that match that of the facing page miniature.
Besides the full-page miniatures the manuscript also contains a set of 6 historiated initials. These extend over 6 lines and are similar in style to the initials described above. The initials are placed on a background of alternating purplish red or greenish blue and is surrounded by a painted border, quarter to three-quarter, containing flower and animal motives on a godl imitating yellow background. (f. 17r): Christ before Pilate (in grisaille on a blue background). (f. 143r) : the Holy Trinity (as close up; Athanasian creed); (f. 148v) : St Bernard preaching to the devil (as close up; Verses of St Bernard); (f. 211r) : Pietà ( O intemerata); (ff. 214r–228r) : 17 saints (Suffrages). (ff. 17r–228v): A smaller version of the acanthus initials, over 2 lines, are used in the beginning of every paragraph and sometimes an even smaller 1-line initial/capital is used to mark sentences.
Binding
Modern binding. Redish brown leather over wooden boards. 5 double raised bands and endbands.
LCO, stamped in gold:‘ A 228’.
Gold tooling. A simple boarder with geometrical patterns on LCO and RCO, floral and vegetative shapes on Spine. All edges are also deocred with gold tooling.
Origin
Provenance
François d'Anglure, baron of Boursault, owned the manuscript in the early 16th century. The notes on ff. 2r–3v place the manuscript in his ownership in 1523 at the latest. Its later fate is unknown, but by the late 18th century the manuscript belonged to the library of Charles XIII at Rosersberg Palace, where it had the signum ‘n. 1014’. According to the note on f. SL2v it was later acquired by a Frenchman, then belonged to Gustaf Göran Gabriel Oxenstierna and from him the manuscript went to Reinhold Rudbeck (senior) at Edsberg Palace. The additions on f. 4r may be initials of a later owner.
Acquisition
Acquired from Reinhold Rudbeck in 1879-01-29.
- Gyllene böcker (1952), p. 81, no. 163.
- Illuminated manuscripts (1963), p. 14.
- Wolf (1981), pp. 28–33.
- Wieselgren (1925).
