The Pelican Hours, Book of Hours (Use of Paris), in Latin, on vellum, illuminated by the Master of Jean d’Albret, the Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse, and the Master of the Triumphs of Petrarch (France, Paris), c.1490–1500

The Pelican Hours, Book of Hours (Use of Paris)

on vellum, in Latin, illuminated by the Master of Jean d’Albret, the Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse, and the Master of the Triumphs of Petrarch (France, Paris), c.1490–1500, 115 × 165 mm; 211 leaves (f.1 is a numbered blank and f.210 an unnumbered blank), foliated from 1–120, foliation smudged on leaf 121, next leaf foliated 121bis, and then foliation continues 122–209, collation: i⁶, ii⁶, iii^{8 +1}, iv⁸⁺², v⁸, vi⁸, vii⁸, viii⁸, ix⁸, x⁸, xi⁸, xii⁸, xiii⁸, xiv⁸⁺¹, xv⁸⁺¹, xvi⁸, xvii⁸, xviii⁸, xix⁸, xx⁸, xxi⁸, xxii⁸, xxiii⁸, xxiv⁸, xxv⁸, xxvi⁴, xxvii⁸, xxviii³ (of 4, the last leaf a ruled leaf) [blank leaves: f.14, 27, 31, 105, 119v–120]; written in gothic minuscule in brown ink (calendar written in brown, red and blue ink) with gold, white, and red KL initials, text ruled in red ink, 16 lines per page, rubrics in dark red and some in blue, line fillers in red and blue with white highlights and burnished gold, initials in burnished gold on blue and red grounds with white highlights (1 line high), other initials in grey or pale pink with white highlights on red or gold grounds, sometimes with highlights in liquid gold and floral or insect motifs (2 lines high), 17 larger initials in blue with white highlights on red and gold grounds (2 to 5 lines high), illuminated borders on all pages, a combination of borders on gold grounds or with floral motifs, grotesques and hybrid zoomorphic creatures and blue and gold acanthus leaves, other historiated borders with scenes of forest life and mythical creatures; with 24 calendar illuminations, 40 small miniatures, 21 large miniatures; binding of red morocco, boards decorated with a frame of triple fillet, reinforced at the centre by a new triple fillet with small flower at the corners, decorated spine, double metal clasp issuing from the upper board, gilt edges (17^th century); flaking of pigment on first leaf and occasional within borders where a finger might have rested, local small spotting in margins otherwise clean margins and in very good condition.

A RICH AND UNIQUE BOOK OF HOURS WITH MARVELLOUS MARGINS, MADE FOR A FEMALE OWNER.

PROVENANCE

1. Manuscript made for the liturgical use of Paris (Hours of the Virgin for the use of Paris; Office of the Dead for the use of Paris). The calendar also reflects this Parisian use. Additionally, the artists who contributed to the illumination of these Hours are all Parisian, active at the end of the 15^th century and the beginning of the 16^th century. This manuscript was made for an unidentified (female) patron whose portrait appears prominently on fol.27v. The arms in the lower border, which are supported by two greyhounds, were not executed. The initials “J H” (fol.61) and reversed “H J” (fol.61v) interlaced in the border potentially refer to the initials of the patron or of a couple. On fol.196v we find a wide golden belt with ornate buckles in the border which would have been used to cinch a very fashionable houppelande. Maybe the inclusion of this splendid sartorial item was requested by the patroness. Throughout the manuscript, two animal symbols are particularly prominent, the pelican (a full page is devoted to it on fol. 105v and in the bas-de-page on fol.106), and the butterfly (ff.15, 17, 22v, 31v, 105v, 113v).
2. Handwritten ownership inscription on the verso of the first flyleaf: “B. Combes, priest”.
3. France, private collection.

COMMENTARY

Likely made for a female noble owner, this manuscript stands out due to its distinct and attractive decoration that features identifiable forest animals alongside fantastical and whimsical creatures. The recurring motif of the pelican feeding its young by piercing its own breast is a striking symbol that might hint at the devotion and selflessness of the owner. At first glance, the manuscript reveals the distinct personality of its first owner. The Book of Hours was likely made for a noble woman who enjoyed hunting in the sheer endless forests of 15^th-century France. The ethereal-looking patron, in her sombre yet sumptuous dark-red fur-lined garb and black French hood, is depicted kneeling before her prie-dieu on fol.27v. While her coat of arms was never filled in — maybe it was intended as a costly and highly personalised wedding gift for a union that did not come to pass? — the shield is supported by two greyhounds that hint at a fondness for the hunt and embody the loyalty of their owner. The border decoration features countless woodland animals such as boar, hawks, owls, and songbirds, which offer a highly symbolic backdrop to the prayers contained within by encapsulating the circle of life in its beautiful margins.

ILLUMINATION

The elegant miniatures in the manuscript are attributable to three distinct artists: the Master of Jean d’Albret, the Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse, and the Master of Petrarch’s Triumphs, who created the portrait of the hitherto unidentified patroness. Bringing together three renowned artists of this calibre makes it likely that this commission was executed for a noble patroness of the highest rank and influence and shows her distinguished taste. With its 21 large miniatures, the manuscript is a stellar example of the deluxe Book of Hours created in Paris for distinguished patrons and patronesses at the royal court and its surroundings.

Noteworthy is the number of identifiable birds, particularly birds of prey such as owls, falcons, and hawks. While these are typical motifs in many Books of Hours, taken together with the depiction of greyhounds (veltri), their strong presence hints at a partiality for hunting on the side of the patroness. Hunting and hawking, often on horseback with birds of prey and a pack of dogs, was one of the most popular pastimes of the high nobility and was enjoyed by both men and women, among them Mary of Burgundy, Isabeau of Bavaria, and Margaret of York, who were also influential bibliophiles in their own right.

The manuscript contains an impressive number of 24 calendar miniatures, 16 small miniatures that illustrate the text, and 21 large full-page illuminations. The Hours of the Cross are introduced by two miniatures, one showing the pelican feeding its young by drawing blood from its own chest (f.106), placed opposite the Crucifixion scene. In Western Christian iconography, the pelican is inextricably linked with the sacrifice of Christ. While being a popular and widespread motif, it is usually used in combination with other scenes from the life of Christ, rather than being presented in isolation. By placing the pelican on the left and the crucified Christ on the right, the artist created an emotive and dramatic opening that invites the viewer to contemplate and meditate on the immutable circle of life. Juxtaposed is the pathos of the scene through the inclusion of two frolicking butterflies at the foot of the page.

This captivating manuscript is the result of a collaboration between several renowned Parisian artists. It is artistically linked to a group of manuscripts decorated in a similar fashion and including animal scenes at the foot of the page or in the borders (e.g. Écouen, musée de la Renaissance, MS ecl. 1251; Oxford, Bodleian Library, Rawl. Liturg. e. 36; Yale University, Beinecke Library, MS 411) and is connected to the production of Parisian printed books of the last quarter of the 15^th century by the printers Du Pré, Le Rouge, and Vérard.

The mise-en-page with its architectural frames, niches, and compartmentalised spaces is indebted to the layout of printed books between 1490–1500. This particular layout in printed Books of Hours allows the artist to create additional scenes around the text or central illumination, and to thematically link them as needed. Striking examples are Saint John on the island of Patmos with the beast of the Apocalypse (fol.15), which references the woodcut of the Hours printed by Du Pré 1487/1488 (Paris, BnF, Rés. Vélins 1643), or the Tree of Jesse (fol.31v), which is found in several Parisian editions of the years 1480–1490.

The main part of the illuminations of these Hours can be attributed to the Master of Jean d’Albret, active in Paris from about 1490 to 1510, working on both manuscripts and printed books. His hand can be traced in multiple works by the printer Antoine Vérard. Together they created sophisticated copies for high-profile patrons, including noble women such as Anne de Beaujeu, French princess and regent, the eldest daughter of Louis XI and Charlotte of Savoy.

A significant portion of the miniatures was done by the Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse, an anonymous illuminator active in Paris at the end of the 15^th and the beginning of the 16^th century. Much like the Master of Jean d’Albret, he worked for a distinguished noble clientele, also cooperating with Antoine Vérard, most notably on incunabula for King Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany.

The very fine illumination of the patroness on fol.27v was done by a third artist, known as the Master of the Triumphs of Petrarch, who collaborated on numerous occasions with the workshop of Jean Pichore, sometimes being confused with the latter (Zöhl 2004). He was also active for the bibliophile Cardinal Georges d’Amboise, who played a vital role in introducing Italian Renaissance works to France and amassed a vast collection in his numerous castles.

LIST OF MINIATURES

Calendar: The small miniatures of the calendar are attributable to the Master of Jean d’Albret.

Small Miniatures:

1. f.17, Saint Luke writing before his symbol, the ox (small miniature) [Master of Jean d’Albret]. At the bottom of the page: a scene of woodland life with a deer, a butterfly, and a quadruped.
2. f.19, Saint Matthew writing before his symbol, the angel (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse ?].
3. f.21, Saint Mark writing before his symbol, the lion (small miniature) [Master of Jean d’Albret]. At the bottom of the page: a forest scene with deer, an owl in a tree, and a bird seizing a fly; outer border: wasp (?) and butterfly.
4. f.28, Pietà illustrating the prayer O intemerata (small miniature) [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Right border and bottom of the page: ], with a forest scene in the margins including a quadruped creature and a boar drinking from a stream.
5. f.201r, Trinity (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
6. f.201v, Saint Michael (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
7. .202v, Saint John the Baptist (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
8. f.203r, Saints Peter and Paul (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
9. f.203v, Saint Lawrence (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
10. f.204v, Saint Nicholas and the miracle of the three children (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
11. f.205r, Saint Anne (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
12. f.206r, Saint Mary Magdalene (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
13. f.206v, Saint Catherine (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
14. f.207v, Saint Geneviève (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse].
15. f.208r, Saint Catherine (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse] – Right border and bottom of the page: forest scene, with young boar hiding in the trees; dog pursuing a rabbit.
16. f.208v, Saint Barbara (small miniature) [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse]. – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, with bird in a tree and hybrid creature.

Large miniatures:

1. f.14v, Birth of Eve [Master of Jean d’Albret] – At the bottom of the page: two birds and a fox.
2. f.15r, Saint John on the island of Patmos [Master of Jean d’Albret]. – At the bottom of the page: scene of rural life, a bird seizing a butterfly, under the eyes of a frog.
3. f.22v, Virgin and Child [Master of Jean d’Albret] – At the bottom of the page: forest scene, with two dogs pursuing a fox (?). – In the initial O, a butterfly.
4. f.27v, Patron of the manuscript, in prayer [Master of the Triumphs of Petrarch]: in the lower margin, supported by two white greyhounds with red collars, a shield left blank.
5. f.31v, Tree of Jesse (large miniature) [Master of Jean d’Albret] – At the bottom of the page: forest scene, with butterfly and frog.
6. f.32r, Annunciation (large miniature) [Master of Jean d’Albret].
7. f.58v, Visitation [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, wild beast and wild man (?) threatening a boar with a stick.
8. f.71v, Nativity [Master of Jean d’Albret]. – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, bird, nest in a tree and confrontation between a bird and a boar.
9. f.78r, Announcement to the shepherds [Master of Jean d’Albret].
10. f.83r, Adoration of the Magi [Master of Jean d’Albret].
11. f.87v, Presentation in the Temple [Master of Jean d’Albret].
12. f.92r, Flight into Egypt [Master of Jean d’Albret].
13. f.99v, Coronation of the Virgin [Master of Jean d’Albret].
14. f.105v, The Mystical Pelican nourishing its young [Master of Jean d’Albret (?)] – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, with two butterflies.
15. f.106, Crucifixion [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Bottom of the page: forest scene, bird pursuing two frogs and mystical pelican in a tree.
16. f.113v, Pentecost [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Bottom of the page: forest scene, with combat between a butterfly and a bird.
17. f.120v, David and Goliath [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, with bird in a tree; confrontation between a dog and a bird.
18. f.121r, David and Bathsheba [Master of Jean d’Albret].
19. f. 140r, Job [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Left border and bottom of the page: forest scene, with dog hunting a rabbit, a rabbit emerging from its burrow, a bird seizing a snake.
20. f. 192r, Virgin and Child [Master of the Chronique Scandaleuse] – Bottom of the page: forest scene, with an owl seizing a field mouse and a bird seizing a fly or insect.
21. f. 197r, Trinity [Master of Jean d’Albret] – Bottom of the page: forest scene, with two birds in a tree and bird of prey attacking rabbit burrows.

The manuscript is adorned with a variety of borders. The first type, on a white ground, is reserved for the text and decorates the outer margin of all pages. It is composed of large acanthus leaves in blue and gold surrounded by foliage and flowers in bright colours on red stems on white and gold grounds and enlivened with fantastic creatures (f.18, 20, 23, 30, 128).

A second type of border is executed on gold grounds. It adorns almost all the pages with large miniatures, which are placed at the beginning of all large sections of the manuscript. The decoration is composed of red stems, with green leaves, bearing white, pink, red, and blue flowers. From f.32r onward, acanthus leaves and, occasionally, insects, birds and fantastic creatures can be spotted.

The third type of border is the most intriguing and adds to the symbolism that permeates the whole manuscript. In the small space that the margins allow, the artists created densely populated forest scenes inhabited by insects, birds, bears, hounds, and fantastical creatures. Gold touches illuminate the foliage like warm sunlight. The borders are treated as if they are the backdrop of large paintings and gives the page an unexpected depth and dimension.

But darkness lurks in the depth of the forest as life and death, triumph and defeat meet on the pages when the hunter becomes the prey. We discover a hunting dog catching a pheasant (f.4v), a bird snatching a fish (f.5r), a bird seizing an enormous butterfly (f.15r), a bird of prey devouring a dead songbird (f.8r), and a wild boar being killed (f.13r). A more humorous take on the theme is offered in form of a bird attacking an enormous snail (f.12v).

Human presence is seemingly absent in this forest teeming with life. However, we can spot monkeys, which are often interpreted as a stand in for human folly, painted in brown and red their fur heightened with gold, often in comical situations and postures; flushing out an animal hiding behind a tree (f.9r), riding a bear (f.10v), hunting, holding a sparrowhawk in his right paw (f.11v).

1. ff.2r–13v, Parisian calendar, written in French;
2. f.14, blank;
3. ff.15r–22r, Gospel pericopes;
4. ff.22r–26v, Obsecro te (masculine use);
5. ff.28r–30v, O intemerata;
6. ff.30v–104v, Hours of the Virgin, for the use of Paris, matins (ff.30v–58); lauds (ff.58v–71); prime (ff.71v–77v), with antiphon, Benedicta tu and capitulum, Felix namque; terce (ff.78r–82v); sext (ff.83r–87r); none (ff.87v–91r), with antiphon, Sicut lilium and capitulum, Per te dei; vespers (ff.91v–99r); compline (ff.99r–104v);
7. f.105r, blank leaf;
8. ff.105v–113r, Hours of the Cross;
9. ff.113r–119r, Hours of the Holy Spirit;
10. ff.119v–120r, blanks;
11. ff.120v–139v, Penitential Psalms, with litanies (ff.134r–138v);
12. ff.140r–190v, Office of the Dead according to the use of Paris;
13. ff.191r–196v, Prayer to the Virgin: Doulce dame de misericorde, mere de piété, fontaine de tous les biens.
14. ff.197r–201r, Prayer to the Holy Trinity: Doulx Dieu, doul[x] père, sainte Trinité, ung Dieu, beau sire Dieu.
15. ff.201r–209v, Suffrages. De Sancta Trinitate (ff.201r–201v), De sancto Michaele (ff.201v–202r), De sancto Johanne Baptista (ff.202r–202v), De sanctis Petro et Paulo (ff.203r–203v), De sancto Laurencio (ff.203v–204r); De sancto Nicolao (ff.204r–205r), De sancta Anna (ff.205r–205v), De beata Maria Magdalena (ff.205v–206v), De sancta Katherina (ff.206v–207r), De sancta Genovefa (f.207v), De sancta Katherina (ff.208–208v), De sancta Barbe (ff.208v–209v).
16. ff. 210–210v, blank.

We thank Ariane Adeline for her excellent research into this manuscript.

LITERATURE

Almond, Richard. Medieval Hunting. Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 2003.

Briggs, Sarah. “Catherine Caged: Birds in the Margins of the Hours of Catherine of Cleves.” Bowdoin Journal of Art (2015): n.p.

Cummins, John. The Hound and the Hawk: The Art of Medieval Hunting. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1988.

Delaunay, Isabelle. “Les Heures d’Écouen du Musée national de la Renaissance: Échanges entre manuscrits et imprimés autour de 1500.” Revue du Louvre et des musées de France 43, no. 4 (1993): 11–24.

Delaunay, Isabelle. “La production en série dans les livres d’heures parisiens vers 1480–1500.” Rivista d’arte, 5th ser., 7 (2017): 279–290.

Delaunay, Isabelle. Échanges artistiques entre livres d’heures manuscrits et imprimés produits à Paris vers 1480–1500. 3 vols. PhD diss., Université Paris IV–Sorbonne, 2000.

Oggins, Robin S. The Kings and Their Hawks: Falconry in Medieval England. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2004.

Orth, Myra D. “What Goes Around: Borders and Frames in French Manuscripts.” Journal of the Walters Art Gallery 54 (1996): 1–22.

Perdrizet, Paul. Le calendrier parisien à la fin du Moyen Âge d’après le bréviaire et les livres d’heures. Paris: Publications de la Faculté des Lettres de l’Université de Strasbourg, 1933.

Randall, Lilian M. C. Images in the Margins of Gothic Manuscripts. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1966.

Winn, Mary Beth. Antoine Vérard: Parisian Publisher, 1485–1512. Geneva: Droz, 1997.

Winn, Mary Beth. “Printing and Reading the Book of Hours: Lessons from the Borders.” Bulletin of the John Rylands Library 81, no. 3 (1999): 177–204.

Zöhl, Caroline. Jean Pichore: Buchmaler, Graphiker und Verleger in Paris um 1500. Turnhout: Brepols, 2004.