Gothic textura script, with one 2-line illuminated initials and seven single-line initials with three line filler bars in pink and blue. Verso border features acanthus, blue and pink pansies, and white carnations tipped in red with black pen ornamentation. Recto border features interlocking geometric patterns in red and blue with gold and white pen detail, interlocked pieces featuring floral designs on gold background. The regional flare of this leaf also presents larger scale changes at work- the movement of art towards a Renaissance style and the movement of the Netherlands as an independent country. These Books of Hours, used to organise the day’s prayers and routine for lay people, are deeply regional and often personalised. The flowers within the geometric pieces, however, lean towards the realistic style that was developing in the Netherlands, Early Netherlandish painting- with notable artists in this movement including Hieronymus Bosch, Hans Memling, and Peter Breugel, among others. ![]() The geometric border on the reverse side of the leaf has more of a blocky Germanic flourish. As the Netherlands carved out a place for itself between Germany, Belgium, and France, their style of art and book art developed.Īs Ege’s description explains, this leaf predominately appears to have French characteristics, such as the use of the acanthus within the ornamented floral border, the pink and blue illuminated initials and line filler bars, but to an experienced eye, there is something slightly “off”, not wholly French. The two distinct styles of borders on the recto and verso demonstrate the aesthetic variations that had emerged regionally, signifying what would eventually rise as nation states and countries. This description begins to unpack the complicated world that these leaves retain for us. A few decades later, at the turn of the century, cast shadows as well as snails, butterflies, and birds were added, with the result that the borders became a distraction to the reader.” Carnations, pansies, columbines, and many other flowers were faultlessly and realistically drawn. In this leaf French characteristics predominate, but in no other country did the study of nature have a more direct influence on miniatures and ornamentation than in the Netherlands. “In assigning this lead from a Book of Hours to the Netherlands it must be remembered that some sections of that country were once part of France, while others belonged to what is now Germany. The description printed on the label for this leaf explained: In a more literal sense, children were taught to read from Books of Hours.Įach of Otto Ege’s “Fifty Original Leaves from Medieval Manuscripts” portfolios included a small caption describing the leaf. The Book of Hours during the latter Middle Ages taught its reader how to interact with the complex structure of prayers and liturgy in order to be pleasing to God. His methodology was to create tiered packets, with the most luxurious pieces of each manuscript constituting higher status packets, while more text-based, or less eye-catching leaves, created the more affordable packets to appeal to a wide variety of collectors. ![]() Otto Ege, famed for his creation of portfolios of medieval manuscript leaves in the 1950s, had the objective of putting a medieval manuscript in every American home. ![]() Then shall they say among the Gentiles: The Lord hath done great things for them.” ![]() The regional flare of this leaf shows the movement of art towards a Renaissance style and the movement of the Netherlands as an independent countryįrom the Psalms: “Then was our mouth filled with gladness and our tongue with joy. Collected by the famous Otto Ege who wanted to put a Medieval manuscript in every home
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