Heures de Charles d'Angoulême
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The Heures de Charles d'Angoulême is a book of hours commissioned in the late 15th century, probably around 1480, by
Charles, Count of Angoulême Charles of Orléans (1459 – 1 January 1496) () was the Count of Angoulême from 1467 until his death. He succeeded his father, John, and was initially under the regency of his mother, Marguerite de Rohan, assisted by Jean I de La Rochefoucauld, ...
, father of king
Francis I of France Francis I (french: François Ier; frm, Francoys; 12 September 1494 – 31 March 1547) was King of France from 1515 until his death in 1547. He was the son of Charles, Count of Angoulême, and Louise of Savoy. He succeeded his first cousin on ...
. It is now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris, under the number Latin 1173. The book contains full-page miniatures mostly painted by
Robinet Testard Robinet Testard (fl. 1470–1531) was a French medieval illuminator and painter, whose works are difficult to attribute since none of them was signed or dated. He is known to have worked for the family of Charles, Count of Angoulême (1459–9 ...
, many of which have been adapted from, and inspired by, engravings, including sixteen prints by
Israhel van Meckenem Israhel van Meckenem (c.1445 – 10 November 1503), also known as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, was a German printmaker and goldsmith, perhaps of a Dutch family origin. He was the most prolific engraver of the fifteenth century and an imp ...
which have been glued onto the vellum and overpainted. The book is notable for both the quality of its art, and its various methods of incorporating prints, which testifies to the "complex history of interchanges between printed materials and manuscript illumination during the later fifteenth century".Matthews, pp.4–6


Description

A book of hours is a manuscript designed for personal devotion and was popular in the Middle Ages. This illuminated work made for
Charles, Count of Angoulême Charles of Orléans (1459 – 1 January 1496) () was the Count of Angoulême from 1467 until his death. He succeeded his father, John, and was initially under the regency of his mother, Marguerite de Rohan, assisted by Jean I de La Rochefoucauld, ...
by the painter
Robinet Testard Robinet Testard (fl. 1470–1531) was a French medieval illuminator and painter, whose works are difficult to attribute since none of them was signed or dated. He is known to have worked for the family of Charles, Count of Angoulême (1459–9 ...
is an unusual volume and is more comprehensive than just a set of devotions. The artist seems to understand his sponsor's character. As well as its devotional purpose, the book seems designed to entertain, to arouse curiosity (f. 52v), to amuse (ff 3r, 4v and 5r), to satisfy the sponsor's aesthetic sense (ff. 16v and 26v), to encourage his pastoral feelings (f. 20v), to encourage his chivalrous instincts (f. 2v) and even to flatter him (f. 41v). The folios most concerned with personal devotion, the Passion,
Death Death is the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain an organism. For organisms with a brain, death can also be defined as the irreversible cessation of functioning of the whole brain, including brainstem, and brain ...
and
Resurrection of Christ The resurrection of Jesus ( grc-x-biblical, ἀνάστασις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ) is the Christian belief that God raised Jesus on the third day after his crucifixion, starting – or restoring – his exalted life as Christ and Lord ...
(f. 106v), were in fact the work of the engraver
Israhel van Meckenem Israhel van Meckenem (c.1445 – 10 November 1503), also known as Israhel van Meckenem the Younger, was a German printmaker and goldsmith, perhaps of a Dutch family origin. He was the most prolific engraver of the fifteenth century and an imp ...
, subsequently coloured by Testard with his characteristic luminous hues. Other work by painters such as
Jean Bourdichon Jean Bourdichon (1457 or 1459 – 1521) was a French miniature painter and manuscript illuminator at the court of France between the end of the 15th century and the start of the 16th century, in the reigns of Louis XI of France, Charles VIII of F ...
were included and may demonstrate Testard's honesty, his admittance that his talents were insufficient for the task. He also introduced some profane elements such as sexual encounters (ff. 4v and 20v), mythology (f. 41v) and chivalry (f. 53v). The text is entirely in Latin, and the book can be interpreted as being the antithesis of a book of hours, or even an anti-book of hours. Some important pages include; the animated scene of the Annunciation to the shepherds; the mysterious image showing the death of the centaur; the moral scene "Combat between Virtue and Vice"; the political scene "Death of Louis XI of France, Louis XI"; the picture of "the Spider King and his daughter Madame Anne de Beaujeu"; and George of Cappadocia, a legendary scene which is more appropriate to a chivalric romance than a book of hours.


Manuscript

The manuscript is composed of 230 folios. It includes 38 full-page Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniatures.


See also

*
Charles, Count of Angoulême Charles of Orléans (1459 – 1 January 1496) () was the Count of Angoulême from 1467 until his death. He succeeded his father, John, and was initially under the regency of his mother, Marguerite de Rohan, assisted by Jean I de La Rochefoucauld, ...


References


Bibliography

* * ''Les Heures de Charles d’Angoulême'' (facsimile of the manuscript), M. Moleiro Editor, 230 p
Read online
*


External links




Reproduction intégrale du manuscrit
on Gallica
Présentation du manuscrit
on the site of the
''Le livre d’heures de Charles d’Angoulême''
on Histoire de Paris.fr
''Les Heures de Charles d'Angoulême : enluminure et gravure à la fin du Moyen-âge''
on YouTube
1466 – ''Un Livre d’Heures de Charles d’Angoulême (Charles d’Orléans)''
on Histoire Passion (26 January 2016) {{DEFAULTSORT:Heures de Charles d'Angouleme Illuminated books of hours, Charles d'Angouleme 15th-century illuminated manuscripts Iconography of illuminated manuscripts Miniature painting French books Printmaking Bibliothèque nationale de France collections