(active 1469-1483 in Ghent)

Mary of Burgundy's Book of Hours 1470s Manuscript (Codex Vindobonensis 1857), 225 x 163 mm Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna

This manuscript contains the Book of Hours according to the use of Rome. It contains prayers and devotions for the private use and edification of the laity. It undoubtedly ranks among the most important works of art ever made in the late Middle Ages. It was originally designed for Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, as a book of mourning, however, the copy in Vienna was conferred a totally different decorative character in 1477 when it was redesigned for Charles's daughter, Mary of Burgundy, on the occasion of her marriage to Maximilian of Austria.

Several illuminators worked on the 20 full-page and 16 small-format miniatures in the manuscript, among them the Master of Mary of Burgundy, Simon Marmion and Willem Vrelant.

The prayer book owes its fame mainly to the two so-called window miniatures. The second one on folio 43v shows a framed view of a landscape in which Christ is being nailed to the Cross. The biblical event seems almost incidental in view of the unusually sumptuous architecture which surrounds it. The private chapel of the patron is depicted, with cushions, jewelry boxes, bottle, pearls, and an open Bible arranged as a still-life. In addition, Mary, heir to Charles the Bold and first wife of Emperor Maximilian I, turns her head to look at the viewer in order to emphasize the connection with the private realm.

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Author: MASTER of Mary of Burgundy Title: Mary of Burgundy's Book of Hours Time-line: 1451-1500 School: Flemish Form: illumination