Heures à l'usage de Paris

With 35 miniatures, including 7 large miniatures by the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle (active in Paris from the late 15th century to the early 16th century) and 28 small miniatures by the Master of Étienne Poncher (artist active in Paris circa 1490 to 1510).

133 leaves, preceded by 2 paper flyleaves (the recto of the first flyleaf is lined with red taffeta) and followed by 2 paper flyleaves (the verso of the last flyleaf is lined with red taffeta), without a calendar [collation: i1, ii8, iii8, iv4, v8, vi8, vii8, viii8, ix8, x8, xi8, xii8, xiii8, xiv8, xv8, xvi8; xvii4, xviii8, xix4], some catchwords, calligraphic bâtarde script in brown ink, text in 23 lines, ruling in pale red ink (justification: 53 x 115 mm), rubrics in blue and gold letters, line-fillers in red or blue with gold decoration, other line-fillers in the form of gold notched wood on red, brown, or blue backgrounds, initials in pastel tones (pink, gray, blue, mauve) with white highlights on gold grounds, sometimes adorned with insects, birds, flowers, fruits (from 1 to 3 lines high), with 35 miniatures (28 small and 7 large) framed in illuminated borders decorated with colored acanthus leaves, flowers, fruits, animals, grotesques, and various insects on liquid gold backgrounds (each folio with a miniature is set in illuminated borders), the seven large miniatures are set within gold frames with columns.

Parisian “fanfare” binding (circa 1590?), red morocco, large gilt “fanfare” design radiating from the oval cartouche, with a multitude of compartments and half-compartments with twisted ornament, small tools, flowers, acorns, curved tools, laurel branches, foliage, spirals of fillets, and gilt dots, gilt roll on the edge of the “fanfare” decor, small gilt dots on the board edges, smooth spine similarly decorated, clasps composed of leather and iron straps, gilt edges.

Manuscript housed in a modern articulated box of half red morocco with gilt lettering on spine, velvet interior (label James Brockman Binder (Oxford)).

See G. Hobson, Les reliures à la fanfare. Le problème de l’S fermé, London, 1935, p. 14. A pencil note states: “[...] Hobson, Rel. à la fanfare, S14 (La Roche Lacarelle Sale (1888) no. 14) + G.-E. Lang Sale, no. 36 (Ex-Nédonchel – Descamps-Scrive)”. These references to comparable bindings correspond, respectively, to the following sale catalogues: (1) [La Roche Lacarelle (Baron de)]. Catalogue des livres rares et précieux, manuscrits et imprimés composant la bibliothèque de feu M. le Baron de la Roche Lacarelle, Paris, 1888, no. 24, binding reproduced. – (2) [Descamps-Scrive]. Bibliothèque Descamps-Scrive. Première partie, 1923, no. 25, binding reproduced.

Manuscript with wide margins, slightly elongated format, almost oblong.

202 x 125 mm.

Hours according to the use of Paris. In Latin, illuminated manuscript on parchment.
France, Paris, circa 1490-1500.

Very beautiful binding with fanfare decoration enclosing a book of hours with shimmering colors.

The miniatures of this very fine book of hours are attributable to two Parisian illuminators: the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle, who painted the large miniatures (ff. 2, 7v, 22, 46, 47v, 78, and 91), and the Master of Etienne Poncher, who painted the small miniatures. The large miniatures are placed within architectural frames with pilasters or gilded columns.
The Master of the Scandalous Chronicle is an anonymous illuminator active in Paris in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He was so named by Nicole Reynaud (1993), after his most important work, known as the Chronique Scandaleuse by Jean de Roye, Paris, BnF, Ms Clair. 481. He worked for a princely clientele, and his career can be traced from circa 1493 to circa 1510. He illuminated numerous incunabula for Antoine Vérard destined for King Charles VIII, for whom he also created the Très Petites Heures (Drouot, 4 December 2000, lot 25). He illustrated two manuscripts for Anne of Brittany: the Description du couronnement..., kept at Waddesdon Manor 22, and the Epistres d’Ovide by Octavien de Saint-Gelais (Christie’s, London, Arcana sale, 7 July 2010 lot 42; Aguttes, Aristophil sale, 16 June 2018, lot 18). On the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle, see Avril and Reynaud, Les manuscrits à peintures en France 1440-1520, exhibition catalogue. Paris, BnF. 1993, cat. 150-151; France 1500 entre Moyen Age et Renaissance, Paris, Grand Palais 2010-2011, cat. 105, 107.

The Master of Étienne Poncher owes his name to two manuscripts made for this prelate, bishop of Paris from 1502 to 1519. They are his Pontifical according to the use of Paris (Paris, BnF. ms. Lat. 956) and another manuscript entitled Les Empereurs de Rome et d’Allemagne (Mensing sale, Amsterdam, 1929, lot 45). His career ran from the 1490s to 1510, and he most likely apprenticed with the Master of Jacques de Besançon, from whom he borrowed many compositions. He illuminated a book of hours with rich iconography, where he appears alongside the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle and the Master of the Triumphs of Petrarch. These are the Madrid Hours known as the Hours of Charles V (Madrid Vit-24-3), in which the hand of the Touraine illuminator Jean Poyet can also be detected.

Provenance:

1 - Manuscript copied and painted in Paris, according to liturgical use and stylistic grounds. This manuscript was painted by two Parisian artists, the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle (active in Paris from the end of the 15th century to the beginning of the 16th century) in collaboration with the Master of Étienne Poncher (active in Paris circa 1490 to 1510).

2 - Ex-libris vignettes, not pasted, slipped in at the beginning of the volume: (1) Jean-Thomas Aubry (1714-1785), priest and bibliophile, curate of Saint-Louis-en-l’Île (Paris). – (2) Wrest Park, with a pencilled note: "Baroness Lucas and Dingwall" and a reference to a Sotheby’s sale 18/19 October 1954 (not listed in this sale). Nan Ino Cooper, Baroness Lucas of Crudwell and Lady Dingwall (1880-1958), inherited the collection of prints, drawings and books kept at Wrest Park (Bedfordshire) from the Countess de Grey.

3 - Antiquariat Bibermühle Tenschert, Fünfzig Unika 1472-1949: Jubiläumskatalog, no. 40 (1998), pp. 334-350.

4 - Private collection.

Illustration:

This manuscript contains 7 large miniatures and 28 small miniatures:

- f. 2, Saint John the Evangelist on the island of Patmos with his symbol (large miniature; dimensions: 90 x 55 mm) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 3v, Saint Luke painting the Virgin [Saint Luke is the patron saint of painters] (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 55 mm); f. 5, Saint Matthew writing, his symbol the Angel (small miniature); f. 6v, Saint Mark writing, his symbol the lion (small miniature); f. 7v, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 13v, Virgin and Child [note that the Child is depicted as a young boy and not an infant; the image is inspired by the one painted by Fouquet in the Hours of Simon de Varie and can be found in a number of manuscripts painted by Parisian artists, such as Hours painted by the Master of the Scandalous Chronicle (Paris, Bibl. Arsenal, MS 1193, fol. 201)] (small miniature); f. 16v, Pietà (small miniature; dimensions: 42 x 52 mm); f. 22, Annunciation (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 38v, Visitation (small miniature; dimensions: 40 x 55 mm); f. 46, Crucifixion (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 47v, Pentecost (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 48v, Nativity (small miniature; dimensions: 40 x 55 mm); f. 54, Annunciation to the shepherds (small miniature; dimensions: 38 x 54 mm); f. 58v, Adoration of the Magi (small miniature; dimensions: 40 x 55 mm); f. 63, Circumcision (small miniature; dimensions: 38 x 54 mm); f. 67, Flight into Egypt (small miniature; dimensions: 40 x 54 mm); f. 73, Coronation of the Virgin (small miniature; dimensions: 42 x 54 mm); f. 78, David and Bathsheba at the bath (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 91, Job mocked by his sons (large miniature) [Master of the Scandalous Chronicle]; f. 122, Trinity (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 55 mm); f. 122v, Saint Michael and the dragon (small miniature; dimensions: 42 x 55 mm); f. 123, Saint John the Baptist (small miniature; dimensions: 45 x 54 mm); f. 123v, Saint John the Evangelist (small miniature; dimensions: 47 x 52 mm); f. 124, Saint Lawrence (small miniature; dimensions: 47 x 54 mm); f. 124v, Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian (small miniature; dimensions: 45 x 55 mm); f. 125v, Miracle of Saint Claude (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 55 mm); f. 126v, Saint Nicholas and the miracle of the three boys (small miniature; dimensions: 45 x 55 mm); f. 127, Saint Anne teaching Mary to read (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 54 mm); f. 128, Saint Mary Magdalene (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 54 mm); f. 128v, Saint Martha (small miniature; dimensions: 52 x 55 mm); f. 129, Saint Catherine (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 54 mm); f. 129v, Saint Barbara (small miniature; dimensions: 50 x 54 mm); f. 130v, Saint Potentiana (small miniature; dimensions: 48 x 55 mm); f. 131, Saint Genevieve (small miniature; dimensions: 48 x 55 mm); f. 131v, Saint Mary of Egypt (small miniature; dimensions: 45 x 54 mm).

Bibliography: Avril, F and N. Reynaud, Les manuscrits à peintures en France 1440-1520, Paris, 1993. Delaunay, I. Échanges artistiques entre livres d’heures manuscrits et imprimés produits à Paris (vers 1480-1500), doctoral thesis, dir. F. Joubert Oct. 2000, Université de Paris IV.