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The Black Hours now in the collection of the
The Black Hours now in the collection of the Hispanic Society of America
The term Hispanic () are people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an ethnic or meta-ethnic term.
The term commonly appl ...
museum in New York City is a black book of hours made around 1458.
The calendar is appropriate for the Crown of Aragon
The Crown of Aragon (, ) ;, ; ; . was a composite monarchy ruled by one king, originated by the dynastic union of the Kingdom of Aragon and the County of Barcelona (later Principality of Catalonia) and ended as a consequence of the War of the Sp ...
, and it has been suggested that it was a bereavement gift to Maria of Castile, queen of Alfonso V of Aragon
Alfonso the Magnanimous (Alfons el Magnànim in Catalan language, Catalan) (139627 June 1458) was King of Aragon and King of Sicily (as Alfons V) and the ruler of the Crown of Aragon from 1416 and King of Naples (as Alfons I) from 1442 until his ...
, who died in Valencia
Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...
in 1458. The black vellum
Vellum is prepared animal skin or membrane, typically used as writing material. It is often distinguished from parchment, either by being made from calfskin (rather than the skin of other animals), or simply by being of a higher quality. Vellu ...
and the presence of Maria's coat of arms, no longer blazoned with that of Aragon , support this theory. The illuminator was Flemish, perhaps working in Spain at the time.
Description
The book is anilluminated manuscript
An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...
on black vellum, consisting of 152 folios, each measuring about 14.7 x 10.1 cm. The text is a version of the usual book of hours
A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...
text, formally the ''Horae Beatae Marie Secundum usum curie romane'' (''Hours of the Blessed Mary Following the Use of Rome'').
The manuscript has space for a miniature on the page facing the start of each office. The inclusion of St. Vincent Ferrer, who was canonized in 1455, gives us a ''terminus post quem
A ''terminus post quem'' ('limit after which', sometimes abbreviated TPQ) and ''terminus ante quem'' ('limit before which', abbreviated TAQ) specify the known limits of dating for events or items..
A ''terminus post quem'' is the earliest date t ...
''. Folio 13 r bears the coat of arms of Castile (believed to be that of Maria of Castile).
See also
*Purple parchment
Purple parchment or purple vellum refers to parchment dyed purple; codex purpureus refers to manuscripts written entirely or mostly on such parchment. The lettering may be in gold or silver. Later the practice was revived for some especially gran ...
References
{{Reflist Black books of hours 15th-century illuminated manuscripts