The Da Costa Book of Hours is a 1515

illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared document where the text is often supplemented with flourishes such as borders and miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Church for prayers, liturgical services and psalms, the ...

book of hours The book of hours is a Christian devotional book used to pray the canonical hours. The use of a book of hours was especially popular in the Middle Ages and as a result, they are the most common type of surviving medieval illuminated manuscrip ...

, now in the Morgan Library and Museum in New York. It was produced by

Simon Bening Simon Bening (c. 1483 – 1561) was a Flemish miniaturist, generally regarded as the last major artist of the Netherlandish tradition. Bening, born either in Ghent or Antwerp, was probably trained by his father, illuminator Alexander Bening, i ...

and his workshop, possibly for a member of the Portuguese Sá family, before later belonging to

Álvaro da Costa D. Álvaro da Costa (c. 1470–1540) was a Portuguese '' fidalgo'', diplomat and close advisor to King Manuel I. He is particularly well-remembered today for having filled the important court position of Chief Armourer of Portugal: the 1509 '' ...

, an advisor to Manuel I of Portugal.

References

{{manuscript-stub 16th-century illuminated manuscripts Illuminated books of hours Collection of the Morgan Library & Museum