Book of Hours

This Book of Hours was completed ca. 1450, illuminated by the Master of Ghent Privileges and associates. The first owner is depicted in the border of fol. 13v as well as arms of the Egmont family of Guelders, found in the margins nearby. On front flyleaf iir, a note indicates that the manuscript was given by Francois de Bonge to an unidentified recipient in memory of a close friend. While many prayers are in Latin, there is a strong presence of French found in rubrics, headings, and several narratives (tales of a canon's dream sequence, the salvation of a nun, and directives for prayers that would result in a vision of the Virgin three days before the supplicant's death) paired with prayers and devotions in Latin.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Created for member of the Egmont family, Flanders, ca. 1450. Francois de Bonge, France, early-mid 17th century [1]. Acquired by Léon Gruel, Paris, ca. 1900; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore, ca. 1906; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.

[1] Gifted to an unknown recipient by de Bonge in memory of a close friend in 1671: "Ce presente livre est presenté de francois de Bonge en memoire de la personne asses tres intime a moy de Jurenne le. . . 12 Mars lan 1671"