Horae. Use of Utrecht. Middle Dutch.

8vo (c. 16,5 x 12 cm): ii+173+ii ff. (gatherings mostly of 8 ff., with catchwords in the bottom inner margin of the last f. of each gathering and numerous indications for the rubricator in inner margins; lacking 2 ff.: 1 before f. 15, presumably with a historiated initial of the Annunciation; and a final text f. with the end of the Office of the Dead), ruled in brown, written in textura (writing area c. 8 x 5,5 cm). In excellent condition.

Contemporary binding : brown panel-stamped calf over wood (worn, clasps and catches gone), covers with triple ruled border and rectangular compartments with single leaves and flowers enclosing worn rectangular panel stamps (upper cover: Madonna and Child, similar to Weale 296; lower cover: John the Baptist holding the Agnus Dei), spine on 5 raised bands, a.e.g.

Contents: f. 1rv lined, unwritten; Calendar (ff. 2r-13v) with Utrecht saints (in red "Sinte Jheroen martelaer", August 17, and "Sinte bave ende remijn", October 1); f. 14rv lined, unwritten; Hours of the Virgin (ff. 15r-50v); Hours of the Eternal Wisdom (ff. 51r-71v); Short Hours of the Holy Spirit (ff. 72r-95v); Hours of the Cross (ff. 96r-118v); Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany (ff. 119r-138v); Office of the Dead (ff. 139r-173v). Decoration: capitals stroked with red, red rubrics and underlining; 1-2 line initials alternate in red and blue; 3-line initials at hours in gold on red and blue fields with white tracery; 8-line initials in painted and gold or silver foliage (some historiated) at the beginning of major texts, on a blue and red background; ff. with 3-line initials have baguettes along the left side of the text column with extensions of ink sprays, leaves, gold discs, petals, and painted and gold foliage and flowers; ff. with 8-line initials have baguettes along the sides and below the text column, with decoration in 3 outer margins of gold and ink sprays, leaves, gold discs, petals, and painted and gold foliage or flowers. Illustration: (1). 3 eight-line historiated initials; (2). f. 96r Arrest of Christ; (3). f. 119r David playing the Harp, in half-lenght; (4). Two Souls in Purgatory, shown as Hellmouth. The miniatures are by the so-called Master of the London Jason, who was the most talented illuminator working in Haarlem in the period ca. 1470-85. The present manuscript is one of only six manuscripts known by this Master. In addition to the "Historie van Jason" in London (British Library, Add. Ms. 10290;  Golden Age, cat. no. 79), after which he is named, the painter's work is known only in Books of Hours. Beside the present manuscript, these are: (1) Darmstadt, Hessische Landes- und Hochschulbibliothek, Ms. 1002, dated 1474, containing 8 historiated initials; (2) Netherlands, Private Collection (Tuliba Collection), Ms. 13, containing 4 full-page miniatures; (3) Stuttgart, Württembergische Landesbibliothek, Cod. brev. 11, containing 7 full-page miniatures by the Master of the London Jason and 4 historiated initials by another painter; (4) Formerly Lord Aldenham (sold at Sotheby’s, 23 March 1937, lot 185, present whereabouts unknown), containing 9 full-page miniatures and 4 historiated initials. The present manuscript appears to be one of his earliest works known, although it is also his most modestly illustrated work. Of the other known works, it is closest in style to the Book of Hours in Darmstadt, which is dated 1474. Ref. Tentoonstelling van miniaturen en boekbanden (Bruges 1927), pp. 28-29, no.165. Cp. The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Painting (1989), p. 233 & nos. 79-81. We thank Prof. J. Marrow for information about this manuscript. Provenance : stamp and signature of members of the Gillès de Pelichy family.