Book of the Knight (Epitre d’Othea), 15th Century

This manuscript could be something like a guideline for young knights during 15th Century. Contains instructions and best practices for young knights with spiritual and moral poems. The codex contains around 100 chapters, each consisting of extreme lavish and detailed illustrations and verse texts. Original title for this codex is “Epître d’Othea”, by Christine de Pisan, a Venetian-born woman of the medieval era who strongly challenged misogyny and stereotypes prevalent in the male-dominated medieval culture. As a poet, she was well known and highly regarded in her own day. A brave woman. She composed around 41 pieces during her 30 year career (1399–1429).

Christine de Pizan (also seen as de Pisan) (1363 – c. 1430)

Christine de Pisan was a surprise for me, never heard about her. Wikipedia has a brief biography here. I discovered during my investigation that her most successful literary works are The Book of the City of Ladies and The Book of the three virtues. City of Ladies is my personal target for another post because serves as her response to Jean de Meun's The Romance of the Rose -another delightful codex-: Christine combats Meun's misogynist beliefs by creating an allegorical city of ladies. She defends women by collecting a wide array of famous females throughout history. These women are "housed" in the City of Ladies, which is actually Christine's book. As Christine builds her city, she uses each famous woman as a building block for not only the walls and houses of the city, but also as building blocks for her defense of female rights.

The codex is decorated with about a hundred masterful miniatures. One of these contains the dedication of the work and shows four figures, identifiable as Philip the Good, Charles the Brave, and the two noble bastards David and Anton of Burgundy. I attach some high-res samples below,

Books of Hours (continued) "Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis cum calendario", 14th Century

Title for this jewel is HORAE BEATAE MARIAE VIRGINIS CUM CALENDARIO. It's written in bold gothic letters, long lines, 15 to a full page. It has a complete french callendar in blue, red and gold letters with “Les Quinze joyes de Nre Dame”. Every page of this codex has a lateral border of rich decoration in floreate scrolls and natural flower and fruits and numerous fine illuminated ornamental initials, a total of 12 full page finely painted and richly illuminated arched miniatures surrounded by borders of elaborate floreate decoration and 7 smalls of Saints.

Subjets of large miniatures comprise: S. John in Patmos, The Annunciation, The Visitation (Mary and Elizabeth), The Nativity, The Angels appearing to the Shepherds, Presentation in the Temple, Flight into Egypt, David Praying, Pentecost, Burial Service, the Trinity, Archangel Michael Slay, The Dragon, John the Baptist carrying Lamb and Flag, St Anthony preaching to the Beasts, Mary Magdalene reading, etc.

Books of Hours

We start this biblio-adventure with one of the most incredible -at least for me- manuscript type of all surviving medieval illuminated manuscripts, the "Book of Hours". Like every manuscript, each Book of Hours is unique, but most contain a similar collection of texts, prayers and psalms, often with appropriate decorations, for Christian devotion. Illumination or decoration may be extremely lavish (see examples below), with full-page miniatures. Books of hours were usually written in Latin (latin name for them is horae) during 14th and 15th century, although there are many entirely or partially written in vernacular European languages like ancient german, french or even italian. So far I've never seen a spanish (castellan) written one, it's my personal investigation in Spanish museums. If I find, I'll update this post.

It's very difficult to obtain a original Book of Hours. Sotheby's has auctions from time to time, but prices reach even more than 150.000 euros for a standard -not lavish- Book of Hours, poorly illuminated from 16th or 17th century. It's easier, however, to buy a simple vellum page. Some art merchants recommend owners to dis assemble the Book for a better selling. No comments.