Petites Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry
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The Petites Heures of Jean de France, Duc de Berry is an illuminated
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 ...
commissioned by
John, Duke of Berry John of Berry or John the Magnificent ( French: ''Jean de Berry'', ; 30 November 1340 – 15 June 1416) was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was Regent of France during the minority of his nephew 1380-1388 ...
between 1375 and 1385–90. It is known for its ornate
miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or problem ...
leaves and border decorations. Several artists were employed in the production. It was completed in two separate stages, each with a distinctive style. The earlier leaves were painted by artists influenced by
Jean Pucelle Jean Pucelle (c. 1300 – 1355; active c. 1320–1350) was a Parisian Gothic-era manuscript illuminator who excelled in the invention of drolleries as well as traditional iconography. He is considered one of the best miniaturists of ...
, the later by artists working in the vanguard of the
International Gothic International Gothic is a period of Gothic art which began in Burgundy, France, and northern Italy in the late 14th and early 15th century. It then spread very widely across Western Europe, hence the name for the period, which was introduced by th ...
period of Gothic art. Because of this, the ''Petites Heures'' exemplifies the "rupture in style" that occurred in French illumination in the final two decades of the fourteenth century. A high-resolution facsimile was published in 1988, with monographs by Avril, Dunlop and Yapp.


History

Jean de Berry commissioned six books of hours between 1375 and 1416. The first, the ''Petites Heures'', contains 182 miniatures. Work started c. 1375 but was interrupted in 1380 and the book was not completed until 1385–90. It is now housed at the
Bibliothèque nationale de France The Bibliothèque nationale de France (, 'National Library of France'; BnF) is the national library of France, located in Paris on two main sites known respectively as ''Richelieu'' and ''François-Mitterrand''. It is the national repository ...
under the reference ms. lat. 18014. The
limner A limner is an illuminator of manuscripts, or more generally, a painter of ornamental decoration. One of the earliest mentions of a limner's work is found in the book ''Methods and Materials of Painting'' by Charles Lock Eastlake (1793–1865). ...
Jean Le Noir, a pupil of Jean Pucelle, started work on the illuminations.Hourihane, p. 472 By the time of his death in 1380, only nine miniatures had been completed. In 1384 the duke engaged
Jacquemart de Hesdin Jacquemart de Hesdin ( 1355 – c. 1414) was a French miniature painter working in the International Gothic style. In English, he is also called Jacquemart of Hesdin. During his lifetime, his name was spelt in a number of ways, including as Jac ...
; completion of the book was left to him and an assistant known as the Master of the Trinity, and to another artist known as Pseudo-Jacquemart, who painted in some of the underdrawings left by Jean le Noir, as well as contributing his own compositions. Four small miniatures have been attributed to the one whom Meiss designates as the "Fifth Master". A single page by the
Limbourg brothers The Limbourg brothers ( nl, Gebroeders van Limburg or Gebroeders Van Lymborch; fl. 1385 – 1416) were famous Dutch miniature painters (Herman, Paul, and Johan) from the city of Nijmegen. They were active in the early 15th century in Franc ...
, the ''Duke of Berry Setting off on a Trip'', was added to the manuscript around 1412.Husband, p. 43 American art historian
Millard Meiss Millard Lazare Meiss (March 25, 1904 - June 12, 1975) was an American art historian, one of whose specialties was Gothic architecture. Meiss worked as an art history professor at Columbia University from 1934 to 1953."Meiss, Millard." ''The Columb ...
distinguishes five separate contributors to the work and identifies Le Noir with "the Passion Master", an anonymous illuminator so-called because he illustrated the Passion. His characteristics have been described as "rather cool, dusty colours" and a "delightful, often humorous depiction of animals", also rocky scenery and agitated figures with expression. Jacquemart de Hesdin worked on the Hours of the Virgin. Characteristics are a representation of space influenced by Italian painting and a "more realistic rendering of reality" based on collaboration with Jan Boudolf of Bruges. The styles of Jacquemart de Hesdin and Pseudo-Jacquemart are very similar because they worked together for more than 20 years. The latter has been described as copying the style of others rather than being creative.Hourihane, p. 133 The duke commissioned the ''Petites Heures'' around the same time as his older brother
Charles V Charles V may refer to: * Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) * Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain * Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise * Charles V, Duke of Lorraine (1643–1690) * Infan ...
acquired the '' Savoy Hours'', "one of the grandest books of the period" executed in about 1335–40. To the ''Savoy Hours'', Charles added a new cover with jeweled clasps, further texts, and copious miniatures by the Master of the Bible of Jean de Sy. Comparison of the two books reveals that Jean de France modeled the content and structure of the ''Petites Heures'' on his brother's manuscript, which had "clearly aroused his competitive spirit, and no doubt, envy." In the ''Petites Heures'' Berry pays homage to his parents,
Jean the Good John II (french: Jean II; 26 April 1319 – 8 April 1364), called John the Good (French: ''Jean le Bon''), was King of France from 1350 until his death in 1364. When he came to power, France faced several disasters: the Black Death, which killed ...
and
Bonne of Luxembourg Bonne of Luxemburg or Jutta of Luxemburg (20 May 131511 September 1349), was born Jutta (Judith), the second daughter of King John of Bohemia, and his first wife, Elisabeth of Bohemia. She was the first wife of King John II of France; however, a ...
, through instructive prayers and texts copied from their respective books.


Selected miniatures

''Duke of Berry Setting off on a Trip'' (fol. 288v) is established as by the
Limbourg brothers The Limbourg brothers ( nl, Gebroeders van Limburg or Gebroeders Van Lymborch; fl. 1385 – 1416) were famous Dutch miniature painters (Herman, Paul, and Johan) from the city of Nijmegen. They were active in the early 15th century in Franc ...
, the third such image commissioned by the duke of a personal itinerary with an angel pointing the way. I was perhaps intended as a talisman; Husband notes that the duke "is clearly an older man, the angel's guidance may not be entirely bound to the earthly realm." The ''Tale of the Three Dead and the Three Living'' (fol. 282r) is a relatively common form of
memento mori ''Memento mori'' (Latin for 'remember that you ave todie'The Three Dead Kings ''The Three Dead Kings'' ( la, De tribus regibus mortuis), is a 15th-century Middle English poem. It is found in the manuscript MS. Douce 302 in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, and its authorship is sometimes attributed to a Shropshire priest, Jo ...
''). Berry, "veritably obsessed with self-display", associates himself with the tale in several of his commissions, the images providing an opportunity to display "ostentatious humility". The text is copied from his mother's psalter.Kinch, p. 135 Prefaced as a "moult merueilleuse et horrible histoire" ("mournful and horrible history") it describes an encounter between three young men and three dead men in different stages of decomposition. The first apparition says "What you are, we were, what we are, you will be", the second reminds them that death treats rich and poor equally, the third adds that there is no escape from their fate. ''John the Baptist in the Wilderness'' (fol. 208r) is identified by Meiss as an example of the Passion Master's later style, "which displays a new interest in the problems of relating depth" It is an early example of a new trend in depictions of John, where the harsh desert setting was replaced with a fertile landscape, most probably inspired by Fra
Domenico Cavalca Domenico Cavalca (Vicopisano, c. 1270 – Pisa, October 1342) was an Italian writer. He was a friar of the Dominican order and lived a life, mostly spent in the monastery of Santa Caterina, of irreproachable morals, characterized by attention ...
's ''Life of St. John the Baptist'' (1320–42), in which "the desert was described as a place of great natural beauty, full of flowers, trees, and animals." The ''Calendar for May'' by Pseudo-Jacquemart. (fol. 3r) is an example of iconography first used by
Jean Pucelle Jean Pucelle (c. 1300 – 1355; active c. 1320–1350) was a Parisian Gothic-era manuscript illuminator who excelled in the invention of drolleries as well as traditional iconography. He is considered one of the best miniaturists of ...
in the ''
Belleville Breviary The Belleville Breviary (Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS lat. 10484, 2 volumes) is an illuminated breviary. It was produced in Paris some time between 1323 and 1326 by the artist known as Jean Pucelle,Deuchler (1971), 253 probably for Jeanne de ...
''. Each month of the year shows an apostle, representative of the
New Testament The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
, and a prophet of the
Old Testament The Old Testament (often abbreviated OT) is the first division of the Christian biblical canon, which is based primarily upon the 24 books of the Hebrew Bible or Tanakh, a collection of ancient religious Hebrew writings by the Israelites. The ...
. The prophet submits a veiled prophecy which is explained by the apostle as an article of faith, while simultaneously, the prophet gives the apostle a stone from the synagogue, which as the months progress is reduced to a ruin.Hulse, p. 33
/ref> ''The Harrowing of Hell'' is thought to have been started by Le Noir and completed by Pseudo-Jacquemart (fol. 166). The
Harrowing of Hell In Christian theology, the Harrowing of Hell ( la, Descensus Christi ad Inferos, "the descent of Christ into Hell" or Hades) is an Old English and Middle English term referring to the period of time between the Crucifixion of Jesus and his re ...
is derived from the
Apostles' Creed The Apostles' Creed (Latin: ''Symbolum Apostolorum'' or ''Symbolum Apostolicum''), sometimes titled the Apostolic Creed or the Symbol of the Apostles, is a Christian creed or "symbol of faith". The creed most likely originated in 5th-century Ga ...
and the
Athanasian Creed The Athanasian Creed, also called the Pseudo-Athanasian Creed and sometimes known as ''Quicunque Vult'' (or ''Quicumque Vult''), which is both its Latin name and its opening words, meaning "Whosoever wishes", is a Christian statement of belief ...
, which state that Jesus descended into Hell before his resurrection in order to save the righteous who had come before his earthly ministry.


See also

* '' Belles Heures'' of Jean, Duc de Berry * '' Très Riches Heures'' of Jean, Duc de Berry * '' Turin-Milan Hours'', owned and perhaps commissioned by Berry


Notes


References


Sources

* * *
Latin 18014
archivesetmanuscrits.bnf * * *


External links


Digitised copy of the Petites Heures
at the BNF
Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Ms. lat. 18014 / Petites Heures of the Duke of Berry
facsimilefinder.com {{Authority control 1390 books de Berry, Petites Heures of Bibliothèque nationale de France collections 14th-century illuminated manuscripts 15th-century illuminated manuscripts Harrowing of Hell