All medieval churches and monasteries were expected to own one. The Antiphoner was one of the volumes of music used for the daily services in medieval churches. The book also included a calendar of the church year with major feast days and days of venerated saints indicated in colored inks. There are many variations in the contents, but most follow a certain pattern that includes special readings of the Gospels, the “Little Office of the Virgin” (a sequence of prayers devoted to the canonical hours of each day with special veneration given to Mary), the Penitential Psalms, various litanies, the Office of the Dead and a long series of prayers that served as commemorations to special saints (the Suffrages of the Saints). The Book of Hours evolved out of the monastic cycle of prayer which divided the day into eight segments or “hours.” It was essentially a new type of devotional book designed for personal use and allowed lay people to incorporate devotions into their daily lives. The Book of Hours first evolved during the late 13th century. This allows us to guarantee the authenticity of every work we sell. Park West uses only established sources and trained experts in addition to conducting our own thorough research and authentication. This offering allows collectors a unique opportunity to acquire a stunning and historically significant work from an ancient manuscript.Įach Illuminated Manuscript comes with a certificate of authenticity from Park West Gallery. A full description is provided for each, as well as historical information about the origination of the source manuscript. Each work is mounted in Plexiglas and framed so that both the recto (front) and verso (back) are visible. Each work is hand-illustrated, and many of the works include rubrics and/or miniatures. Originally created in the 13th through 15th centuries, these works have been acquired over the course of several years and are now being offered to collectors. Park West Gallery is proud to offer a collection of Illuminated Manuscripts. Park West Gallery’s Illuminated Manuscripts Wealthy patrons could commission an illuminated manuscript for their own library, receiving a “donor portrait” with an image of themselves in context with Christ and the apostles. Monks became so well known for their artistic detail that they sparked an interest in the most powerful members of their communities. Since few were literate during this period, the illumination provided illustrations for the Latin verses, aiding in deciphering their meaning. The “illumination” comes from the process of gilding and painting each page, decorating the manuscript with gold leaf, silverpoint drawings, and various plant and lead-based paints. Most people learned to read from a Book of Hours, and the word “primer” reflects the office of Prime, which was read from the Book of Hours each morning. By the 15th century the demand for books was substantial and the most popular was the Book of Hours, a standard series of prayers and psalms intended for personal devotional use at home rather than in a church. As literacy increased during the Middle Ages the demand for manuscripts grew and the 14th century saw a burgeoning industry in book commissions for royalty and other aristocrats. The early 13th century saw the rise of manuscripts – previously available only to clergy – for personal use by lay people. These manuscripts included those used during services, including the Missal, Breviary and Antiphoner, as well as manuscripts designed for personal use, like the Psalter and the Book of Hours. During the 13th through 15th centuries most manuscripts were either liturgical (used in church services) or to support the daily devotions of monks, nuns and laymen.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |