Back to the search result

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)

Paris (France) — 1325–1328

Enchanting grisaille miniatures and imaginative marginalia by Jean Pucelle: a great masterpiece in a small format for the Queen of France later owned by the bibliophile Jean Duc de Berry

  1. Commissioned by King Charles IV of France (1294–1328) as a gift to his wife, Jeanne d'Évreux

  2. Despite the manuscript's small size, the work by Jean Pucelle (ca. 1300–1355) is a masterpiece of the grisaille technique

  3. The book of hours has been the prized possession of Duke Jean of Berry (1340–1416) and the Rothschild family inter alia

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux

Acc., No.54.1.2 Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
Price: Login here!
Order / Ask a Question
Wish List
Stock List
Share
  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux

The Book of Hours of Jeanne d'Èvreux is a true masterpiece of late medieval calligraphy. This fine work was commissioned by King Charles IV of France for his wife, Jeanne d'Èvreux, and was furnished with masterful grisaille paintings by the artist Jean Pucelle. Next to the 25 full-page miniatures, the 700+ fascinating marginal figures that populate the entire manuscript like something from a fantasy world are particularly fascinating. It is a very special masterpiece, considering the small format of only 9 x 6 cm. No wonder that Jean Duc de Berry incorporated this gem into his famous library.

The Book of Hours of Jeanne d'Èvreux

The Book of Hours of Jeanne d'Èvreux is a true masterpiece of late medieval calligraphy. This fine work was commissioned by King Charles IV of France for his wife, Jeanne d'Èvreux, and was furnished with masterful grisaille paintings by the artist Jean Pucelle. Next to the 25 full-page miniatures, the 700+ fascinating marginal figures that populate the entire manuscript like something from a fantasy world are particularly fascinating.

A Kingly Wedding Gift

Charles IV, “the Fair”, commissioned the renowned French miniaturist Jean Pucelle with the task of creating the book of hours for his beloved wife, Jeanne d'Èvreux (1310–1371). The book is most likely either a wedding gift or from the occasion of Charles’ coronation in Reims Cathedral. King Charles, the last Capetian ruler of France, died in 1328, leaving Jeanne a widow. The Book of Hours would end up in the ownership of King Charles V, whose brother, Duke Jean de Berry, was a passionate collector and patron of a multitude of manuscripts. The book was first mentioned in the library of the Duke of Berry*, but suddenly appeared in the **collection of the Rothschild family in 19th century, who would later allow the sale of the item to the Metropolitan Museum, where it safely stored as one of its paramount highlights of its collection to this day keep.

The Art of Grisaille Painting

Upon first glance, one will immediately notice the extensive grey tones that prevail throughout the book of hours. Moreover, the lack of gilded artwork was an intentional design choice by Jeanne d'Èvreux. One must keep in mind that this artistic configuration of the book is a true tour de force! The 25 full-page miniatures, along with the multitude of small figures, initials, and bas-de-page-miniatures, are executed with grisaille technique. Mainly due to the utilization of various grey tones, wonderfully shaded, plastic figures and scenes are distributed throughout the book individually and partially – be it in bright red or blue or in delicate purple or turquoise – colored and really come into their own through this reduced color scale. Jean Pucelle, who had been inspired by other contemporary Italian Trecento painting, erected a truly impressive example of a book that, despite its small size of 9,4 x 6,4 cm, exudes tremendous artistic beauty.

Fantastic Flourish and Spiritual Events

Paired amongst the 29 miniature pages are eight scenes from the childhood and Passion of Christ juxtaposed with the life of much celebrated French King Louis IX, who was an ancestor of Jeanne. Up to the depiction of Christ suffering on Calvary during his Crucifixion, all the scenes are richly imbued with architectural elements in the frames of the pages. The scenes are elaborately painted in detail. A wild bustle takes place around these main scenes: as atlases that carry the frame, initial and marginal figures, bas-de-page miniatures or just somewhere between the lines of the text, precious miniature painting of countless figures and miracles populate the 209 leaves.

Entertaining Variety

There are animals such as monkeys or dogs, people of all classes and classes such as musicians, soldiers, beggars, bishops or virgins, and finally fantastic creatures that seem to have sprung from the wonder world of a Hieronymus Bosch. Wondrous bearded creatures with fish tails and angel wings and hybrids of humans and animals literally romp about the pages. Some of them illustrate the everyday world of the time with games such as jousting or biblical stories like the murder of the innocents in Bethlehem. Others simply offer an entertaining change in addition to the liturgical texts and prayers that have been uniformly put on a very thin, almost transparent parchment by a master scribe.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Stundenbuch der Jeanne d'Evreux
Size / Format
418 pages / 9.0 × 6.0 cm
Origin
France
Date
1325–1328
Style
Gothic
Language
Latin
Script
Gothic
Illustrations
25 full-page miniatures, approx. 700 decorative marginal figures
Content
Liturgy of the Hours
Patron
King Charles IV of France (1294–1328), called the Fair
Artist / School
Previous Owners
Jeanne d'Evreux, Queen of France and Navarre (1310–1371)
King Charles V of France (1338–1380)
King Charles VI of France (1368–1422)
Duc Jean de Berry (1340–1416)
Baron Louis-Jules du Chatelet (1594–1671)
Adolphe Carl de Rothschild (1881–1957)
Caroline Julie Anselme Rothschild (1830–1907)
Baron Maurice Edmond Charles de Rothschild (1881–1957)
Available facsimile editions:
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
#1 Stundenbuch der Jeanne d'Evreux
Faksimile Verlag – Lucerne, 1998
Limited Edition: 980 copies
Detail Picture

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux

Christ in Majesty

Shown giving the sign of benediction with his right hand while holding a codex and staff with cross in his left, Christ is enthroned and looking directly out at the beholder. He is presented before a leafy blue background surrounded by the Four Evangelist symbols, each holding a banderole. This is a fine example of demi-grisaille and has minimized the color palette, relying heavily on the masterful shading and range of greys created by the miniaturist instead.

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Single Page

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux

Christ Carrying the Cross

This demi-grisaille miniature is a unique depiction of this common scene from the Passion of the Christ. This style deemphasizes color in favor of shading, and aside from the blue, diamond-patterned background, the composition relies upon varying shades of grey, save for the beard of the man who helps Christ support the weight of the cross.

The scene is presented in an architectural frame reminiscent of a Gothic cathedral, but there are specific connections to Strasbourg Cathedral, namely the crouching figure with a hammer to the left of the bas-de-page miniature. He bears a strong resemblance to a depiction in Strasbourg’s tympanum depicting the wife of the man who forged the nails used to crucify Christ, and is now weighed down by guilt.

Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Stundenbuch der Jeanne d'Evreux

Faksimile Verlag – Lucerne, 1998
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA)
Hours of Jeanne d'Evreux – Faksimile Verlag – Acc., No.54.1.2 – Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters (New York, USA) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Faksimile Verlag – Lucerne, 1998
Limited Edition: 980 copies
Binding: Leather binding with elaborated gold and blind embossing and two clasps
Commentary: 1 volume by Barbara Drake Boehm, Abigail Quandt, and William D. Wixom
Languages: English, German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
Price: Login here!
Order / Ask a Question
You might also be interested in:
Brussels Hours – Faksimile Verlag – Ms. 11060-61 – Bibliothèque Royale de Belgique (Brussels, Belgium)
Brussels Hours
France – Ca. 1400

With the famous portrait of Jean Duc de Berry as patron: masterly miniatures in demi-grisaille technique in an outstandingly beautiful book of hours

Experience More
Younger Prayer Book of Charles V – Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA) – Cod. Ser. n. 13251 – Österreichische Nationalbibliothek (Vienna, Austria)
Younger Prayer Book of Charles V
Flanders – After 1540

Gothic aesthetics and the influences of the Italian Renaissance: gorgeous grisaille painting for Emperor Charles V

Experience More
Breviari d'Amor – Vicent Garcia Editores – Res. 203 – Biblioteca Nacional de España (Madrid, Spain)
Breviari d'Amor
Valencia (Spain) – 15th century

A poetic monument to love: the masterpiece by the famous monk and poet Matfre Ermengaud with more than 150 poignant grisaille miniatures of the 15th century

Experience More
Life and Work of Saint Anthony the Abbot – ArtCodex – ms. Mediceo Palatino 143 – Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana (Florence, Italy)
Life and Work of Saint Anthony the Abbot
Saint-Antoine-l'Abbaye (France) – 1431–1437

Concerning the founder of Christian monasticism: a masterpiece with 200 miniatures owned by the Pope and the Medici

Experience More
Hours of Henry IV of France – M. Moleiro Editor – Latin 1171 – Bibliothèque nationale de France (Paris, France)
Hours of Henry IV of France
Paris (France) – Ca. 1500

With 60 full-page grisaille miniatures: a visually stunning masterpiece of the French Renaissance with influences from Jean Bourdichon and Jean Poyer

Experience More
Libro de Horas de la Reina Doña Leonor – Circulo Cientifico – II.165 BNP – Biblioteca Nacional de Portugal (Lisbon, Portugal)
Libro de Horas de la Reina Doña Leonor
Belgium – 1470

Willem Vrelant's masterpiece of the grisaille technique: a uniquely illuminated book of hours for the wife of the Portuguese king

Experience More
Blog articles worth reading
15th Century
15th Century

Come and explore an age of stark contrasts as Europe comes back from the brink: calamities like the Fall of Constantinople and...

Read more

Filter selection
Style
Genre
Origin
Language
Publisher
Show all available expressions

Visit us!

WHERE? In our store in Regensburg's Old Town.

We have been running a specialist store for facsimiles for over 10 years in Regensburg's Old Town, just opposite the "Schottenportal" of the Romanesque Scots Monastery of St. Jacob at Jakobstraße 6.