Mongan hours, use of Rome, 1425 - 1475

Parchment support, ff. i (modern parchment) + 72 + i (modern parchment).

Nineteenth century, embossed, dark brown leather with an elaborate, pseudo-Renaissance Tree of Jesse stamped on the front and back covers. Silver filigree corner pieces, edgings and clasp. Printed on dark burgundy morocco labels on spine: ILLUMINATED/ MSS/ BOOK OF HOURS.

i+72+i; 178 x 114 mm bound to 186 x 127 mm.

Single column, twenty lines, ruled in purple ink with single vertical bounding lines, full across and horizontal bounding lines running from inner edge of margin to outer vertical line; written area: 112 x 65 mm; Calendar thirty-three lines, four columns, inner columns separated by double vertical bounding lines.

Gothic -- textualis semi-quadrata script

12 miniatures illustrating the Passion cycle have been tipped into the text. Each miniature is surrounded on the three outer margins with a border of black ink penwork vinestems terminating in gold leaves and seed pods; acanthus leaves, strawberries, and miscellaneous flowers in blue, bright orange, pink, and green are scattered throughout. A poorly rendered brownish pink frame decorated with geometric gold penwork scallops and an inner gold border, crudely outlined in brown ink surrounds each miniature.

The illustrations in this book are of poor quality. The palette is limited to a rather dull pink, greenish brown, yellow, blue, and black, against which the brilliant orange that the artist has used with a lavish hand stands out starkly. Distinctive features include gold halos with thick black outlines and orange rays, and a heavy black grid drawn over the navy-blue sky. The figures, often heavily outlined in ink by an unsteady hand, are crudely drawn, frequently extending into the frame, the perspective is sometimes off, and the overwhelming impression is a lack of care as well as of skill. The remaining decoration is of a higher quality than the illuminations. On the page facing each illustration a matching floral border surrounds the text on the top, outside, and bottom. Each verse uses alternating 1-line initials either gold on a black rectangular penwork ground or blue on red. Rubrication throughout in red. Gilt edges. Remains of pilgrimage stamps on inside margin of f. 1r.

Modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto and lower right recto.