This monograph concerns one of the most interesting and distinguished Flemish manuscripts of the last third of the 15th century. The huge size of this manuscript, with an impressive height of 270 mm, makes it one of the largest books of hours in existence (for instance, the famously large Bedford Hours in the British Library is 10 mm smaller). It is in near-mint condition and it is complete, with 172 leaves. Lavishly illustrated, it has 20 large or full-page miniatures, 10 smaller and 24 calendar miniatures – 54 in all.

It was painted by three masters: foremost the Toulongeon master, very close to the Master of Edward IV, and two illuminators from the school of Willem Vrelant, court painter to Philipp the Good of Burgundy. All of the persons in the manuscript (and their clothes) appear in grisaille, with some architecture and landscape given in full color. This technique of semi-grisaille is of the rarest occurrence; only two or three comparable manuscripts are known. The borders are also decorated with a rarified intensity - painted mostly in black and gold, with sprinklings of blue and dusky pink. We know exactly for whom and when it was made: viz. for the knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece, Claude of Toulongeon, who is represented here in a splendid full-page portrait, on the occasion of his election to the Order in 1481. In short, this is one of the most important Flemish manuscripts of that time in existence, in the finest possible condition.