Book of Hours

by Simon Marmion, James Thorpe

Books of Hours are among the most striking examples of medieval illuminated manuscripts. Commissioned by wealthy men and women for their private religious devotions, these beautifully decorated books contain prayers for the eight canonical hours of the day.

This book reproduces seventeen jewel-like miniature paintings by Simon Marmion from one of the finest Books of Hours in the Huntington Library's collections. Marmion, one of the most accomplished illuminators of the fifteenth century, produced this example sometime between 1450 and 1475. The French manuscript Book of Hours displays a number of scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. The book's introduction discusses the history and meaning of Books of Hours, both as books of devotion and as works of art.

Genres: Art, Christian, Nonfiction, Historical

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

Reviews

[Talea · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book of Hours gives a brief intro to how the hours are broken down and how books were made and illustrated in the Middle Ages. The plates are given a brief explanation and description. There isn’t any great detail and the mastery is left to speak pretty much for itself.

[khrome · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this book at the Huntington Library, and when I got it home I found out that the photos were not from the same Book of Hours that was on display. I was a little disappointed, as the one on display was much more ornate (I have a photo of it here: http://www.loopfree.net/gallery/main.... )

I like that this book reproduced the plates in their original size, but at the same time I wish there were close-up shots of the details of the artwork. Still, it a nice collection of photos with an informative intro, and descriptive captions along with tranlations of the latin texts.