Book of Hours

Description This small Book of Hours was made at the turn of the sixteenth century. The illuminations are in the style of the Master of the Prayerbook of ca. 1500, active in Bruges. The name of the first owner is inscribed in the book in a prayer on fol. 241v, in which a man named Philip confesses himself a sinner and prays for his heart to be pure. The series of full-page miniatures opens with an interesting illumination of the Salvator Mundi that was a common theme in South Netherlandish illumination in this period. A comparable example, painted by the Master of the Prayerbook c. 1500, is found in the manuscript Vat. Ross. Lat. 94.

Exhibitions

• Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1984-1985.
• The Book within the Book: Images of Books and Readers in Manuscripts. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. 1995.

Provenance [1]. Sotheby's Sale, London, March 17 1902, lot no. 709; purchased by Maggs Bros., England, 1902 [2]; likely purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931. [1] The manuscript contains inscriptions that indicate previous owners: "Philipum" inscribed on line 1 of fol. 214v (possibly the first owner), Durey (?) signature found in one of the two prayers added early on fol. 275r, "P.P.L. 1702" on back pastedown [2] White ticket with blue border on front pastedown top left, inscribed "Aa.V./140"

Credit Acquired by Henry Walters