The Art of Illumination: The Limbourg Brothers and the "Belles Heures" of Jean de France, Duc de Berry

by Timothy B. Husband

One of the most lavishly illustrated codices of the Middle Ages, the Belles Heures (1405–1408/9) is the only manuscript executed in its entirety by the famed Limbourg brothers. Commissioned by its magisterial patron, Jean de France, duc de Berry, this richly illuminated Book of Hours, intended for private devotion and now housed in The Cloisters at the Metropolitan Museum, counted among the duke’s large collection of prized possessions. The luminous scenes depicting the legends of the saints, the Hours of the Virgin, and the like, many with elaborately designed borders, exemplify the transcendent splendor of the Limbourg brothers’ talents.

Genres: Art, Art History, History

376 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Timothy B. Husband is a Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He has worked in the Department of Medieval Art and The Cloisters for over forty years.

He studied at the Fogg Museum as an undergraduate at Harvard, received his MA from the Institute of Fine Arts, and completed his doctoral coursework at Columbia. Focusing on the later Middle Ages, mostly in the German-speaking world, his interests include sculpture, tapestry, goldsmiths' work, ceramics, manuscripts, and stained glass in both the secular and ecclesiastical realms.

He has organized many exhibitions including The Treasury of Basel Cathedral (2001), The Medieval Housebook and the Art of Illumination (1999), The Luminous Image: Painted Glass Roundels in the Lowlands, 1480–1560 (1995), and The Wild Man: Medieval Myth and Symbolism (1980). His most recent publication is The Art of Illumination: The Limbourg Brothers and the Belles Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry.

Reviews

[Rachel Kopel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, Wow, Wow, I got this in the Getty Center bookshop for $15. It is the kind of book I would keep on the coffee table, but not actually read, but I have been reading it, almost halfway through, and it is dazzling. Hard work though since it weighs 4.5 lbs.

[Robert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great technical review of the art of illumination, instead of just a survey of illuminations. Discusses manuscript illumination in late 14th to early 15th century France as both art, craft and business. Very worthwhile read!

[Victor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Браты Люмбергі - вельмі цікавы творчы гурт, які паўплываў на мастацства Сярэднявечча і ранейшага Рэнесансу. Кніга (ці, калі казаць карэктней, візуальны альманах, улічваючы колькасць малюнкаў) распавядае пра Выдатны часаслоў герцарга Беррыйскага (Belles Heures), гісторыю яго стварэння, гістарычны кантэкст, пераказ зместа кнігі і яго аналітыка, і, што галоўнае, аналітыка знешняга выгляду часалову. Кніга ў некаторым сэнсе з'яўляецца парталам у сярэднявечны час - у той час, калі ў літаратуры у Еўропе пераважна дамінавалі біблейскія матывы, і па сутнасці ўся кнігавытворчая актыўнасць, з тым, наколькі шмат сродкаў яна патрабавала, была накіравана ў бок рэлігіі.

Вельмі цікавая кніга, бо дазваляе крыху лепей разумець культурны кантэкст 14-15 стагоддзяў, а таксама дае магчымасць крыху зразумець і іншыя працы братоў Люмбергаў, асабліва Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry.