Illuminated Manuscripts for Sale

The Wardington Hours

Bedford workshop, France, Paris, c. 1410 and 1430

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The exquisite Wardington Hours, named after Lord Wardington, one of the previous owners, were illuminated in the Bedford workshop which was the leading workshop in Paris in the early 15th century. This Book of Hours contains the full Hours of the Passion.

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Illuminated manuscript on vellum.

238 x 168 mm. – 40 leaves, plus 5 original flyleaves. With 8 large miniatures.

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A high-quality Book of Hours from the leading workshop in Paris

Overview

This stunning Book of Hours contains the full Hours of the Passion, in Latin, with a few rubrics in French; and prayers for use by a man. Despite the brevity of the text, the manuscript seems to have been executed as a separate book, with original flyleaves at each end, and it may have been a supplement to a Book of Hours already made with the more usual short office of the Cross.

The manuscript was illuminated in two campaigns. In the first, it received a border decoration of ivy-leaves, sometimes incorporating dragons, as is still visible on the text pages. At the same time, the layout of the pages with miniatures was conceived, beginning with the luxurious baguettes. When, in the second stage the miniatures were painted, the illuminator decided to modernize the borders, adding a decoration of flowers and acanthus. The illumination is by the Bedford workshop, the leading workshop in Paris during the time of the English occupation.

Within the Bedford style, scholars have differentiated various hands which have been given individual names. Whilst one is tempted to attribute the miniatures at the beginning of the volume at issue to the Bedford Master himself, those towards the end of the manuscript are by the Dunois Master.

This work is now in the collection of the British Library in London.

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