Book of Hours, Use of Rome, illuminated manuscript in Latin, on vellum, 198 leaves (lacks one leaf in a quire but probably a scribe's error as there is no loss of text), collation: i6-ii6, iii8-vii8, viii7 (8-1, lacking a leaf between ff. 56-57 but no loss of text with prayer order not interrupted: "... Benedicite, lux et tenebrae, Domino, Benedicite, fulgura et nubes..."), ix8-xxvi8, xxvii3 (of 4, last f. cancelled blank), in a fine Gothic bookhand, in brown ink, most 15 lines, some penwork, a few catchwords, rubrics in red, 26 fine hand-painted miniatures (6 large arch-topped miniatures with illuminated borders on reserved grounds with coloured acanthus leaves, flowers, birds and burnished gold besants (ff. 13, 23, 29, 34, 100 & 128), one large full-page miniature (f. 180) set in a gold frame inlaid with jewels, 10 half-page miniatures with text and miniatures framed in gold, 9 smaller miniatures, of which 8 are painted in the outer margin of the leaves, marking the major openings of the Hours of the Virgin (except Matins a large arch-topped miniature) and also Job on his Dungheap in the Office of the Dead (f. 138), one small miniature (f. 172), illustrating the Obsecro te), line-fillers in pink or blue with burnished gold and white tracery, one- and two-line initials in burnished gold on pink and blue grounds with white tracery, 4-line initials in blue or pink with white tracery on gold with coloured vine leaves or flowers), in the hands of three masters (comprising: 6 large and 8 small miniatures by the Rosenberg Master [c. 1475-95], 10 half-page miniatures and one small miniature by the Master of Guillaume Lambert and his workshop [c. 1475-1500], one large miniature by the ?Master of of the Alarmes de Mars [c. 1485-1510], all active in Lyon, 3 later paper fly-leaves at beginning and end, some slight discharge from miniatures, one leaf loose (f. 160), some rubbing to some miniatures, in particular to the small miniatures in the margins, marbled paper pastedowns, bound in 17th century dark brown morocco over thick pasteboards, gilt panelled decoration, gilt spine on three raised bands, lacks head of spine, remains of clasp, housed in a modern morocco-backed cloth box, leaves 60 x 82mm., binding 65 x 90mm., [Lyon, France], [c. 1475 and later c. 1490-1500].

⁂ An unrecorded Book of Hours from Lyon.

Text: ff. 1-12v, Calendar; ff. 13-22v, Gospel extracts; ff. 23-28, Hours of the Cross; f. 28v, blank; ff. 29-33v, Hours of the Holy Spirit; ff. 34-99v, Hours of the Virgin (Use of Rome); ff. 100-127, Penitential Psalms and Litany; ff. 128-155, Office of the Dead (3 readings); ff. 155v-159v, blank ff.; ff. 160-171v, Suffrages; ff. 172-178, Obsecro te; ff. 178v-179v, blank ff.; ff. 180-196, the Passion according to St John; ff. 196v-198v, blank ff.

Illustrations: f. 13, St John on the island of Patmos (large miniature); f. 23, Crucifixion between John and Mary (large miniature); f. 29 Pentecost (large miniature); f. 34 Annunciation (large miniature); f. 50v, Visitation (small miniature); f. 68, Nativity (small miniature); f. 73, Annunciation to the Shepherds (small miniature); f. 77v, Adoration of the Magi (small miniature); f. 81v, Circumcision (small miniature); f. 86, Flight into Egypt (small miniature); f. 94v, Virgin in a mandorla (small miniature); f. 100, David in Prayer (stout rounded bushes outlined with yellow edges, a feature typical of the Rosenberg Painter) (large miniature); f. 128, Burial scene (large miniature); f. 138, Job on his Dungheap (small miniature); f. 160, St Michael vanquishing Satan (half-page miniature); f. 161, St John the Baptist (half-page miniature); f. 162, SS Peter and Paul (half-page miniature); f. 163, St Andrew (half-page miniature); f. 164, St John the Evangelist and the poisoned cup (half-page miniature); f. 165, Martyrdom of St Sebastian (half-page miniature); f. 167v, St Anthony the Abbott (half-page miniature); f. 168v, St Catherine (half-page miniature); f. 170, St Barbara (half-page miniature); f. 171, St Mary Magdalen (half-page miniature); f. 172, Virgin and Child (small miniature); f. 180, Christ's Agony in the garden of Gethsemane (large miniature).

An interesting association of three illuminators working in Lyon at the end of the fifteenth century. The Master of the Rosenberg Hours was part of a group of artists including the Master of Guillaume Lambert in a workshop who used rich colours, realistic depictions of men and women, and naturalistic poses. The Rosenberg Master was first identified by John Plummer (Plummer and Clark, The Last Flowering, 1982) and subsequently enlarged upon by Lynn Jacobs, 1993.

Provenance: (1). Calendar including feasts of saints, including St Justus, St Viventiolus, St Nicetius and St Claudius, all associated with Lyon. (2). ?18th century ink inscription on upper pastedown and repeated on recto of the second fly-leaf, "Odo Perier. Divi Pauli." A local Lyon family was known as Du Perier.