Prayer Book of Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria

Prayer Book of Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria

A mouse gnaws on an acorn, a large beetle crawls over a book page, and a splendid butterfly flutters between sweet fruits and colorful blossoms. Such pictures in astonishing realism make up the marginal adornments of the text pages in the Prayer Book of Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria. The motifs of flowers, fruits, and animals are depicted extremely true to nature, are subtly shaded, and visualize the entire skill of the miniaturist. Splendidly frilly initials of the finest gold ornamentation on powerfully luminous backgrounds complete this visual experience.

Prague Miniature Painting

Alongside this exuberant marginal decoration, one almost forgets the nine full-page miniatures that illustrate the religious texts of the prayer book. These are presented as wonderfully opulent depictions of biblical scenes. For example, the scene of the Annunciation is immersed in warm light, the angel shines amidst a sea of soft clouds, and astonishment is written all over the face of the Virgin Mary. An unknown painter in Prague ca. 1600 is responsible for this splendor. The manuscript originated presumably at the behest of Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II (1552–1612) at his court in Prague.

From Prague to Munich

The magnificent manuscript finally came into the possession of Prince-Elector Maximilian I of Bavaria by unknown paths. Maximilian I (1573–1651), Duke of Bavaria, was a prince-elector of the Holy Roman Empire as of 1623. He exerted himself actively in the Counterreformation and the Thirty Years War and is considered to be the actual founder of the Catholic League. Aside from his political ambitions, Prince-Elector Maximilian was also a great patron of the arts. As a result, distinguished artists were active at his court in Munich, e.g. Peter Candid, Friedrich Sustris, and Adrian de Vries.

The Binding as a Stand-Alone Work of Art

This historical treasure, found today under the shelf mark Clm 23640 of the Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek, is protected by a splendid cover. This silver-enamel book jacket originates from the year 1574 and is a work by Hans Lenckers, the most import goldsmith from Nuremberg alongside Wenzel Jamnitzer. The splendid silver binding is adorned with florally-colored enamel and furnished with a gilded spine, claps, and eight studs. A worthy covering for this treasure of late illumination!