MASTER OF THE PRAYERBOOKS
MASTER OF THE PRAYERBOOKS OF AROUND 1500, or his circle, Illuminated manuscript leaves from a Book of Hours, Bruges 1500–1520. 75 X 55 mm.
From a pocket sized Book of Hours. An unusual feature is that none of the holy persons are rendered with a halo. This is not unique. It is the case in the Book of Hours of Anne Boleyn, but is probably not a sign of protestant iconography, but rather a tendency towards naturalism in Flemish painting. Margins cropped to the picture
Close parallells are found in Walters W.428, Sotheby’s L11241 Lot 56, and the Pertengo Hours at Sam Fogg.
All six leaves €15000
The Nativity
The wooden beams of the shed are geometrically aligned with the picture frame. The virgin and Joseph are kneeling in front of the child Jesus lying naked on an altar shaped crib. Bethlehem visible at the horizon.
The frame with blue anemone inhabited by three butterflies, two flies and a snail.
€3200
Massacre of the Innocents
An indoors scene with a soldier raising his sword to kill the child held by the mother who has fallen to the floor. Herod on a throne and a councellor are onlookers in the background.
Frame with roses, violets and forget-me-not inhabited by two peacocks and two flies.
Margin cropped with losses and a fold in the lower left corner.
€2600
Flight to Egypt
With Joseph leading the virgin and child Jesus on a donkey through a landscape with a building and presumably the temple of Mercury in the background. The frame is inhabited by a large dragonfly, two butterflies and a fly among roses, violets and forget-me-not.
€3200
The virgin learning Jesus to read
An architectural setting with the virgin seated with an open book on her lap on a throne under a red canopy with the child Jesus standing beside her. An angel kneeling with arms streched towards Jesus.
The frame with strawberries and forget-me-not is inhabited by two peacocks.
cfr. Walters W.429
€3200
The Rising of Lazarus
Christ standing with a blessing gesture above Lazarus raising from his tomb, among three other men in an urban environment.
The frame with blue anemones, violets and forget-me-not, inhabited by a butterfly.
€3200
Crucifixion
The frame with roses, violets, forget-me-not and a columbine, symbol of the wounds of Christ, inhabited by one large peacock.
€3200
