Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Guillebert de Mets

During the Late Middle Ages, the rich, powerful, and sophisticated Dukes of Burgundy created the most learned and splendid court in Europe. The Burgundian aristocracy and the growing Burgher class – the medieval bourgeoisie – patronized countless works of art including panel paintings and illuminated manuscripts. This resulted in the formation of a whole bookmaking industry in the Low Countries, which were part of their lands. One of the finest examples of this explosion of creativity is the Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Guillebert de Mets, which was created sometime before 1450.

A Gothic Masterpiece

In the manuscript, 23 gorgeous miniatures depict episodes from the life of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Barbara, but the calendar section is filled with saints from the diocese of Utrecht. Colorful acanthus leaf bordures highlighted with gold leaf fill the margins of both the miniatures and the text pages, which feature elaborate historiated initials. Countless human and animal figures, as well as grotesques, fill the leafy frames. The work’s style and decorative program are both gorgeous and consistent, which is what makes it a true masterpiece. It is attributed to the Master of Guillebert de Mets, also known as the Master of the Silver Skies for his frequent use of silver leaf.

The Master(s) of Guillebert de Mets

There is some debate as to whether there was more than one Master of Guillebert de Mets. Rather than being an alternate name, the Master of the Silver Skies is likely a second master. They appear to have been active in the Flemish city of Ghent between 1415 and 1450 and their work displays typical stylistic elements such as the floral borders. Various elements of the French Gothic style can be seen in the composition of the miniatures, indicating that at least one of the masters had been trained in Paris. Furthermore, they were strongly influenced by the Boucicaut Master and the Bedford Master. Whether it was an individual or a group, this name of convenience is a reference to evidence of frequent collaboration with the Flemish scribe and copyist Guillebert de Mets, who was active around the same time. This evidence of an ongoing working relationship speaks to just how advanced and professional the manuscript trade in the modern Netherlands had become by the 15th century.

Journey of the Manuscript

It is believed that the manuscript was patronized by a member of the court of Duke Philip the Good (1396-1467) who was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece as a gift for his wife, who may have been named Barbara judging by the patron saint chosen for the text. After passing through the hands of various nobles through the centuries, codex was donated by the Count of Brescia Durante Duranti (1718-1780), poet imitator of Parini, “to the valiant Father Abate Trombelli”. He in turn donated the manuscript to the library of the Convent del SS. Salvatore, which cataloged the work in the 18th century with the shelf mark 780. In the opinion of Frati, the codex was donated to Duranti by the Duke of Savoy and King of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel III (1701-73) in 1755 to thank him for the dedication of his rhymes. In either case, the manuscript remained in the library until it was taken during Napoleon’s invasion in 1796 before returning to Italy in 1828. It was then donated by the canons to what was the Pontifical Library at the time before eventually making its way to the University of Bologna Library, where it is stored today under the shelf mark ms. 1138.