DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14714#0082
DESCRIPTION OF MS.
THE HOURS OF HENRY VII
IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
N many accounts this is a most interesting MS., but principally as
belonging to the last era of the true art of illumination, of which
fine specimens are very rare. A portion of each border is composed
of a natural flower, but so interwoven with, or rather growing out
of, ornamental scrollings, similar to those used in heraldic blazonry,
that the whole composition assumes the spirit of a decoration, its
true and proper character, and is not a mere representation of a
I flower, which, in such a situation, would have been quite inappli-
cable. This fault, by the way, may be urged against the beautiful Missal of Anne of Brittany,
of which examples will be given in this work, and the exquisite MS. of a similar character in the
possession of Mr. Holford,—works nearly contemporaneous, but probably of a somewhat later
period than these Hours of Henry VII.;—in both of which, conventional ornaments are
discarded, and the borders or framings composed simply of natural flowers or fruits.
The rich and florid style of the borders of this MS. corresponds exactly to the last cotemporary
stage of Gothic architecture; and I could name many oak carvings of the period, particularly
some on the pews of Sefton Church, near Liverpool, which are designed in a very similar style,
and might almost be supposed the production of the same mind, working for the carver instead of
the illuminator. I can imagine a building of this period, in which the art of the illuminator, as
exhibited in this beautiful MS., and the art of the carver and architect, as exhibited at Sefton,
might form a most charming combination in polychromic art; and such combinations doubtless
did exist in this country ere the puritanic whitewash did its work of wide destruction.
I know of no other MS. of this style, though the Museum possesses one or two in some degree
similar in design, but so rude in execution as not to be for a moment compared with it as a work
of art. It appears to me to be most probably an English production, both from analogies above
mentioned, and because, although the compositions exhibit much of the principle of the German
art of the period, the details are not so crisp or varied ; whilst the rich scrollings with which it is
ornamented clearly distinguish it from the style of cotemporary French illuminators.
The volume contains but a fragment of the original Missal; and, although it came direct
from the royal library at Windsor to the Museum, with the books presented by George IV.,
it has been strangely mutilated : so insufficient was the care taken of these rare treasures
of the art of the illuminator till within the last quarter of. a century. In a scrap collection,
containing principally specimens of early printed letters, &c. &c, recently purchased by the
Museum, several pages of this beautiful book were found, but with the illuminated borders
cut out. The collector, it would appear,' caring only for the pages as specimens of writing,
the borders were probably cut out, as a pretty trifle for some female friend, to line a work-box,
or make thread-papers with.
The two pages containing portions of the Psalms, &c. &c, which form the opposite plate,
will convey an excellent general idea of the illuminations throughout the volume ; though the
border of every page exhibits a different flower and different scrollings.
The border and capital O, ornamenting this description, are taken from the same volume.
THE HOURS OF HENRY VII
IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
N many accounts this is a most interesting MS., but principally as
belonging to the last era of the true art of illumination, of which
fine specimens are very rare. A portion of each border is composed
of a natural flower, but so interwoven with, or rather growing out
of, ornamental scrollings, similar to those used in heraldic blazonry,
that the whole composition assumes the spirit of a decoration, its
true and proper character, and is not a mere representation of a
I flower, which, in such a situation, would have been quite inappli-
cable. This fault, by the way, may be urged against the beautiful Missal of Anne of Brittany,
of which examples will be given in this work, and the exquisite MS. of a similar character in the
possession of Mr. Holford,—works nearly contemporaneous, but probably of a somewhat later
period than these Hours of Henry VII.;—in both of which, conventional ornaments are
discarded, and the borders or framings composed simply of natural flowers or fruits.
The rich and florid style of the borders of this MS. corresponds exactly to the last cotemporary
stage of Gothic architecture; and I could name many oak carvings of the period, particularly
some on the pews of Sefton Church, near Liverpool, which are designed in a very similar style,
and might almost be supposed the production of the same mind, working for the carver instead of
the illuminator. I can imagine a building of this period, in which the art of the illuminator, as
exhibited in this beautiful MS., and the art of the carver and architect, as exhibited at Sefton,
might form a most charming combination in polychromic art; and such combinations doubtless
did exist in this country ere the puritanic whitewash did its work of wide destruction.
I know of no other MS. of this style, though the Museum possesses one or two in some degree
similar in design, but so rude in execution as not to be for a moment compared with it as a work
of art. It appears to me to be most probably an English production, both from analogies above
mentioned, and because, although the compositions exhibit much of the principle of the German
art of the period, the details are not so crisp or varied ; whilst the rich scrollings with which it is
ornamented clearly distinguish it from the style of cotemporary French illuminators.
The volume contains but a fragment of the original Missal; and, although it came direct
from the royal library at Windsor to the Museum, with the books presented by George IV.,
it has been strangely mutilated : so insufficient was the care taken of these rare treasures
of the art of the illuminator till within the last quarter of. a century. In a scrap collection,
containing principally specimens of early printed letters, &c. &c, recently purchased by the
Museum, several pages of this beautiful book were found, but with the illuminated borders
cut out. The collector, it would appear,' caring only for the pages as specimens of writing,
the borders were probably cut out, as a pretty trifle for some female friend, to line a work-box,
or make thread-papers with.
The two pages containing portions of the Psalms, &c. &c, which form the opposite plate,
will convey an excellent general idea of the illuminations throughout the volume ; though the
border of every page exhibits a different flower and different scrollings.
The border and capital O, ornamenting this description, are taken from the same volume.