ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT HOURS / PARIS. Book of... Lot 1

[ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT HOURS / PARIS]. Book of hours for the use of the diocese of Paris. Manuscript from the beginning of the Xvth c. in a small old in-8° volume (117 x 172mm), red morocco, gilt filets and serrated rolls framing the boards, smooth spine decorated, gilt edges (17th century binding). WORKSHOP This manuscript is due to the Master of the Mazarine who worked in Paris, in the workshop of the Master of Boucicaut, around 1410/1415. Some of the miniatures show details characteristic of this master, such as St. Joseph leaning on the bed of the "Virgin of the Nativity" (ƒ.70). On the other hand, we can point out that the "David at prayer" (ƒ.106) is attributable to Egerton's master, who also seems to have retouched the face of the "Virgin at the Annunciation" (ƒ.29), knowing that collaboration was frequent between these two artists. CHARACTERISTICS 214 ff. of vellum (paginated in ink). Regimented copy with fourteen lines on the page. Text in Latin and French calligraphed in black or brown ink (blue, red, brown or gold for the calendar) and rubricated. COMPOSITION ff. 1-12 v° : calendar (in French) ; ff. 13-19 : pericopes of the Four Gospels; ff. 19-28 v° : hours of the Holy Virgin; ff. 29-120v° : lauds (29), primes (70), tierces (76 v°), sext (81 v°), vespers (90 v°) compline (98 v°) ; ff. 121-132 : litanies of the holy orations ; ff. 132 v° - 138 v° : orations to the Holy Virgin (in French) ; ff. 139 - 142 v° : the five wounds of Our Lord (in French) ; ff. 143 - 198 v° : the office of the dead; ff. 199 - 214 : prayer to St. Catherine and orations of the saints. ILLUSTRATIONS Thirteen large miniatures (about 50 x 80 mm): f. 29 r° : the Annunciation (with the patron in the margin) ; ƒ. 57: the Visitation ; ƒ. 70: the Nativity (to the bedridden Virgin); ƒ. 76 v°: the announcement to the shepherds; ƒ. 81 v°: the adoration of the Magi; ƒ. 90 v° : the flight into Egypt; ƒ. 98 v° : the Coronation of the Holy Virgin ; ƒ. 106: king David; ƒ. 129: the Pentecost; ƒ. 132: the Virgin and Child; ƒ. 139: the Resurrection; ƒ. 143: the Office of the Dead; ƒ. 199: St. Catherine (with the commissioner's wife in the margin?). ORNAMENTATION The copy is decorated on each of its pages, in the outer margin or in the outer and inner margins, with fine floral and fruit garlands illuminated and enhanced with gold, and its thirteen large miniatures are also surrounded by the same garlands. Numerous gold illuminated lettering on a red or blue background. ORIGIN On two of the large miniatures (ff. 29 199) were painted in the margins the praying effigies of the patron saint, St. Catherine (ƒ. 199). DEFECTS Binding restored; minor soiling on a few leaves (ff. 1 12) and on the miniature of ƒ. 29; some discharges; very small hole in ƒ. 76. REFERENCES Paris, Bibliothèque Mazarine, Ms 469; Bartz, Der Boucicaut Meister, Passau, 1999; Paris 1400. The Arts under Charles VI, Paris, 2004. BOOK OF HOURS DECORATED WITH THIRTEEN LARGE MINIATURES, ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE MAZARINE MASTER.