File:Book of Hours, Use of Paris (IA 1924 19 1).pdf

Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs, 1924‑19‑1. France, Second half 15th century. This Book of Hours for the Use of Paris was produced between 1460 and 1480, for a female patron whose portrait is found in two miniatures (fols. 124r and 130r). The book begins with a calendar, in French (fols. 3r-15v), followed by the Gospel Lessons (fols. 16r-20r) and Obsecro te and Ave salus mundi prayers (fols. 20v-23v). The Hours of the Virgin (fols. 24r-66v) is for the Use of Paris, and begins with a large miniature of the Annunciation. It is followed by the Hours of the Cross (fols. 67r-69v) and Hours of the Holy Spirit (fols. 70r-72v), introduced by miniatures of the Crucifixion and Pentecost, respectively. This is followed by the Penitential Psalms, Litany, and Prayers (fols. 73r-86r), which begins with a miniature of King David in Prayer, and the Office of the Dead (fols. 86v-114v), which is introduced with a miniature of a Burial Scene. The book also contains a series of prayers, in French (fols. 115r-123v), Sire je me recommande à toy..., Sire plaise toy essautier..., O très certaine espèrance.... The next section is the Fifteen Joys of the Virgin (fols. 124r-129v), in French, which is introduced by a miniature of the Virgin and Child showing the book's female owner. This section is followed by the Seven requests of our Lord (fols. 130r-137v), in French, introduced by a miniature of the Trinity, again with an adjacent portrait of the book's owner. Included in the same section are the French prayers, Sainte vraye crois..., and Je te prie dame sainte marie.... The book's final section (fols. 138r-150v), which is not introduced by a miniature, contains the prayers to the Virgin, O très parfaicte et entière mère de dieu... and O très certaine esperance, followed by suffrages to Saint Sebastian and Saint Christopher, in Latin and in French. Fol. 1r contains an ownership inscription for Michelle du Deré from 1577. Fol. 1v contains an inscription by G. du Deré from 1650 stating (erroneously) that the donor portraits in the book represent his stepmother.