Den Haag, KB, 74 G 37, 74 G 37a

Book of Hours (`Hours of Simon de Varie'; use of Paris)

Paris, Maître François, workshop of the Bedford-master, Master of the Dunois Hours (illuminators); 1455. Added miniatures (Vol. 74 G 37a): Tours, Jean Fouquet (illuminator); c. 1455

Beschrijving

Vol. I: 17 miniatures (55x32 mm) with decorated initials and border decoration; 4 illustrations in the margin; decorated initials with border decoration (ff. 1r, 12r, 17v, 25r, 53r, etc.); Vol. 2: 19 miniatures (55x32 mm) with decorated initials and border decoration; 24 calendar illustrations in the margin; decorated initials with border decoration (ff. 2r, 3v, 4v, 5v, 6v, etc.)

Herkomst

Made c. 1455 for Simon de Varie. Philippe de Béthune (d. 1649), devided by him in three parts. Vol. I: Samuel van Huls or Hulsius, his sale in 1730 at J. Swart & P. de Hondt, The Hague (cat. 4 Sept. part I, p. 339, no. 5199). Sold in 1750 at the sale of J.H. van Wassenaer-van Obdam at P. de Hondt, The Hague (cat. 10 Aug., p. 63, no. 801), where purchased by Stadtholder William IV, Prince of Orange-Nassau; by legacy to William I of Orange-Nassau, King of The Netherlands, who ceded it in 1816 to the KB. Vol. II: Sold in 1882 at A. Firmin-Didot at Paris (cat. 12-17 June, pt. IV p. 22-23 no. 12). Purchased in 1890 from antiquarian bookseller J. Baer & Co. in Frankfurt am Main (200. Lager-Cat. 1887, p. 2 no. 2). For Vol. III see: Marrow 1994

Codicologie

Vellum, 2 vols., ff. 88+99, 116x85 (57x36) mm, 15 lines, littera textualis. Latin. Binding: 17th-century red leather, gilt, with coat of arms of Philippe de Béthune

1. Madonna: Mary enthroned, holding the Christ-child,...	2. Mary sitting on the ground, reads to the Christ-ch...	3. Maria Lactans; angels crowning and making music	4. The Annunciation: Gabriel announces Christ's birth...	5. Lady holding the coat of arms of Simon de Varie
6. The Visitation: Mary, accompanied by a maid carryi...	7. The Nativity: the adoration of the Christ-child by...	8. The martyrdom of St. Laurence of Rome: he is roast...	9. St. Christopher carries the Christ-child, a hermit...	10. The martyrdom of St. Sebastian: tied to a tree, he...
11. Martyrdom of St. Eutropius of Saintes	12. St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, gives part of his clo...	13. St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, attacked by robbers	14. St. Martin, Bishop of Tours, at table with the Emp...	15. The mass of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours
16. Vision of St. Martin, Bishop of Tours	17. St. Antony Abbot of Egypt holding a rosary and a s...	18. St. Maurus of Glanfeuil, walking on the water, sav...	19. St. Nicholas, Bishop of Myra, gives secretly dowri...	20. St. Fiacre of Meaux holding a book and a spade
21. St. Maturinus of Larchant baptizing the faithful	22. St. William of Gellone preaching, a helmet at his ...	23. Coat of arms of Simon de Varie	24. Mary holding the Christ-child	25. Christ appears at the Lake of Gennesaret, St. Pete...
26. The conversion of St. Paul: on the way to Damascus...	27. St. John the Baptist preaching to a multitude	28. The martyrdom of the Evangelist St. John: he is pu...	29. Conversion of Hermogenes by St. James the Great	30. The martyrdom of St. Simon Zelotes and St. Jude Th...
31. The martyrdom of St. Stephen: he is stoned to deat...	32. St. Claudius, Bishop of Besançon, stills a storm a...	33. The Supper at Bethany: St. Mary Magdalene anoints ...	34. The martyrdom of St. Catherine of Alexandria: she ...	35. St. Genevieve of Paris anointing the faithful
36. The martyrdom of St. Apollonia of Alexandria: her ...	37. St. Avia of Paris in prison receives a host from M...	38. The martyrdom of St. Barbara: she is beheaded by h...	39. The arrest of Christ: the kiss of Judas; the ear o...	40. Pentecost: the Holy Spirit descends upon Mary and ...