Book of Hours, Paris c. 1425

Manuscript book of hours on vellum for the use of Paris. With 16 large illuminated miniatures by the Bedford Master (Haincelin de Haguenau) and Dunois Master (Jean Haincelin). Bound in a mid-17th century red morocco binding with the gilt coat of arms of Cardinal Camille de Neufville de Villeroy, archbishop of Lyons and primate of France

In the book’s miniatures we can see the amount of ambition with which Parisian artists in their miniatures attempted to outdo the large panel paintings from the Netherlands. Furthermore, this manuscript, which was made for the noble Nanterre family and would have been a costly status symbol at the time, demonstrates the aspirations and self-confidence of a clientele based in Paris and the Île-de-France, who worked as lawyers (the Parliament of Paris was a court of justice) as well as in the administration, leading them to acquire wealth and power in emergent social ranks.

The book’s provenance includes the collections of Nanterre, Neufville de Villeroi, S. P. Avery, Johnson, and Ritman.