Rothschild Hours

The Rothschild Hours belongs among the most beautiful and precious books of hours from the late period of the Livres d’Heures. Little known until the end of World War II, this masterpiece of Flemish book illumination was made in the period between 1510 and 1520 and destined for an unknown person of high rank. Also known as the Rothschild Prayer Book, it is outstanding among the numerous Flemish prayer books from the time between 1480 and 1520, which are all decorated with the highest artistic standards, with a large number of colorful miniatures, fanciful borders, and sumptuous large initials. The text is written in Latin and decorated throughout with countless small, gold ornamented initials. The content of the Rothschild Hours is in line with the tradition of the book of hours, which were made for laymen wishing to recite a variety of prayers in private meditation. The prayer texts were additionally highlighted by illustrations, helping the believer to sink in meditation before a picture while reading in the book. The images of the Rothschild Hours are all from the hands of outstanding artists who made this manuscript a unique example of illumination.

The Masters of the Rothschild Prayer Book

Several masters and probably some assistants who were active in the same workshop participated in the artistic design of the Rothschild Hours, as was the case for nearly all Flemish Books of Hours. It is the shared work of at least five masters about whom personal information cannot be fully traced. The greater part of the larger miniatures derive from Gerard Horenbout from Ghent, the celebrated court painter of Margret, the Austrian Governess in the Low Countries. His figures are full of vivacity and painted in a highly naturalistic manner which was formerly unknown to Flemish book painting. Another, equally large portion, of the manuscript’s illustrations is the work of the Master of the Older Prayer Book of Maximilian I. Its miniatures reveal the artist’s high level of accomplishment and fascinate through the use of perspective and the most minute detail. The figures of the Master of the Prayer Books of around 1500 all obey the same typology and are mostly small and strong, with their hair worn in strands. His miniature depicting the Resurrection of Lazarus shows the strong movement in the face of the resurrected and masterly executed groups of houses surrounded by space-enclosing trees, a clear testimony to his accomplishment. Another illuminator was *Gerard David** or a very skillful pupil of his. This Flemish master was known especially for his panel paintings and excellently drawn figures placed in wonderfully composed landscapes. Finally, two miniatures are attributed to the excellent book painter Simon Bening; they were made in his earlier period and are both of excellent quality.

67 Flemish Miniatures of the Highest Quality

A calendar fills the first six first leaves of the Rothschild Prayer Book showing not only farming scenes throughout the year but also ornamented with numerous medallions of the monthly saints. The calendar is followed by devotions on the face of Christ, votive offices and masses for the days of the week, Gospel pericopes, the Office of the Virgin, the Penitential Psalms and the Memorials of the Saints, the Office of the Dead as well as prayers to the Virgin, Christ, the Angels and the Saints. The script is a regular Latin Textura (Gothic book hand) with numerous abbreviations, written throughout by the same scribe.