Hand-colored Metalcut from a French Book of Hours
Date
Format
- Book 711
Type of Work
- Finished work 5484
Media
- paper 1354
- ink 320
- metal type 6
Techniques
- illustration 132
- printmaking 27
- printing 438
Dimensions
- Height
- 7in
Locations Made
- France 11
This is a parchment leaf paper with a full-page metalcut from a French Book of Hours. The image depicts the Virgin Mary with symbolic objects of the immaculate conception (a rose bush, a mirror, the tree of Jesse, and a fountain), Mary in a white dress with joined hands, and God situated above her. The piece is hand-colored with hues of blue, red, brown, and green along with gilt (gold) highlights. At the top of the page, the phrase states, “You are beautiful my friend and no mark stains you.” The page also includes a phrase stating “pulcra ut lu.” which means “as beautiful as the moon.”
The page comes from a Book of Hours, a Christian prayer book for laity used for private devotion. The Book of Hours were compilations of prayers and personalized with religious miniature paintings and ornate initials for patrons. The prayers are in Gothic lettering on the back and front of the piece. On the back of the page, there are gilt-illuminated marginal illustrations and small hand-written initials in color with additional gilt highlights.
The Gothic script lettering shows the typography considered legible in the earliest era of moveable type.
Sources:
https://hargretthours.ugamedieval.com/hargrett-hours/saints-the-virgin-and-you/
