The Most Beautiful Books of Hours and Prayer Books
Books of hours and prayer books were among the most popular genres of medieval illumination as they were often considered the "mink of the medieval lady". The number of surviving manuscripts is correspondingly large compared to other genres. Here you will find a selection of the most beautiful books of hours and prayer books.
Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
Paris and/or Bourges (France) — 1410-1416 and 1485-1489
Our picture of the Middle Ages, created by the Limbourg brothers for the Duke of Berry: one of the most beautiful, valuable, and famous manuscripts in the world
Bedford Hours
Paris (France) — ca. 1423-1430
The magnum opus of the famous Bedford Master: one of the most richly and beautifully illuminated manuscripts of all time
Breviarium Grimani
Ghent und Bruges (Belgium) — 1510-1520
The "greatest" high point of Flemish illumination: 1600 fabulous pages decorated by Gerard David, Simon Bening, Gerard Horenbout, and other masters
Grandes Heures der Anne de Bretagne
Tours (France) — 1503-1508
One of the most beautiful books of hours in the history of illumination and simultaneously a herbolarium: miniatures like panel paintings created by the great Jean Bourdichon for the Queen of France
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux
Paris (France) — 1325-1328
Enchanting grisaille miniatures by Jean Pucelle: a great masterpiece in small format for the Queen of France
Black Prayer Book
Bruges (Belgium) — 1466-1476
Black parchment and luminous colors commissioned by Charles the Bold: one of only a handful of surviving black manuscripts
Rohan Hours
Paris or Angers (France) — 1430-1435
The beginning of a new era in book illumination: masterful, full-page miniatures in a lavishly illuminated book of hours
Visconti Book of Hours
Probably Milan (Italy) — ca. 1390, completed after 1428
Created by Giovannino de 'Grassi and Belbello da Pavia: an illuminated prayer in two volumes for the Duke of Milan
Book of Hours of Louis de Laval
France — 1470-1475 and 1485-1489
700 pages with over 1,200 miniatures: an opulent work of art by Jean Colombe for the French governor and lord protector
Royal Prayer Book for Otto III
Germany — 983-991
All in purple and gold: the only surviving royal prayer book from the Ottonian period
Prayer Book of Lorenzo de' Medici
Florence (Italy) — 1485
Italian Renaissance art in filigree perfection: the wedding gift from Lorenzo the Magnificent to his eldest daughter Lucrezia
Black Book of Hours
Bruges (Belgium) — ca. 1475
Radiant miniatures, luminous borders, and gold initials on black colored parchment: one of only seven black manuscripts that have survived to this day
Da Costa Hours
Ghent und Bruges (Belgium) — ca. 1515
Furnished with 121 wonderful miniatures and one of the most beautiful calendars from his hand: Simon Bening's early and brilliantly illuminated masterpiece
Turin-Milan Hours
Paris, Bourges (France); The Haag (Netherlands); Bruges (Belgium) — between 1380/90 and 1420
A splendid book treasure even after its division: Jan van Eyck's fabulous masterpiece for Jean Duc de Berry
Durazzo Book of Hours
Parma (Italy) — Beginning of the 16th Century
All in gold and purple: one of the last and most beautiful purple manuscripts of the Late Middle Ages