How the sun calendar has determined holy days for millennia: the history of feast days in wonderful miniatures
The Festive Year
Paris (France); Bruges (Belgium) and others — 9th–15th cemtury

The Festive Year
Paris (France); Bruges (Belgium) and others — 9th–15th cemtury
A festive compendium of ten single sheets from some of the finest manuscripts in the world
The number seven, which is important for the calendar, has been associated with holiness for millennia and goes back to the ancient Babylonians
The number is rooted in the seven planets and the cycle of the moon, which divides into four, seven-day periods

Bedford Hours
Life of the Virgin Mary
This wonderful architectural frame stands out among the rich décor of this French masterpiece and shows various scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary as though they were occurring within the rooms of a grand palace. Features like columns, towers, and staircases help to complete this effect and even makes it resemble an Advent calendar. Scenes include the Presentation of Mary, Visitation to St. Elizabeth, and Annunciation along with a typical medieval depiction of Mary weaving at a loom.
The Festive Year
- Kassette Das festliche Jahr
Short Description
Just as there are holy places set aside from their surroundings like temples and churches, there are also days that are elevated above others and given special meaning by us as festival days. Many of our modern holidays have their roots in the fog of prehistory, in a time when people’s lives were directly tied to nature and the wondrous change of the seasons with all of its blessings and threats. Ancient Babylonian cartographers were already familiar with the phases of the moon and also recognized the causes and principles of the turns of the year. This collection of 10 miniatures under passe-partout gathers some of the most beautiful examples of book illumination.
The Festive Year
Decisive points in the solar calendar, which have been recognized in nearly every culture, including the prehistoric, have evolved into holy days. Thus, the winter solstice developed into Christmas, while Passover, from which Easter evolved, began as a spring harvest festival. Christian festivals were often placed on the days previously occupied by pagan holidays so as to make replacing them easier. The seven-day week, anchored by the sanctity of Sundays, is not only rooted in the Book of Genesis – the number seven has been associated with holiness for millennia, going back to the ancient Babylonians. The number is rooted in the seven planets and the fact that the cycle of the moon is easily divided into four, seven-day periods, even if it technically averages a little more than 29 days. It is for these reasons that the church year does not have a fixed beginning and end point with regard to the secular calendar. This compendium of ten single sheets from some of the finest manuscripts in the world, and the accompanying commentary, gives a detailed and artful survey of this fascinating topic.
Sheet 1: The Life of Mary
Bedford Hours, Paris, ca. 1423–1430
British Library, London
Sheet 2:The Annunciation at the Well
Cotton Psalter, Germany, mid–12th century
British Library, London
Sheet 2: Christmas
The Benedictional of St. Æthelwold, Winchester, ca. 980
British Library, London
Sheet 4: The Three Magi
Les très riches heures du Duc de Berry, France, 1411/1416
Musée Condé, Chantilly
Sheet 5: Epiphany (January 6th)
Missal of Archbishop Zbyněk Zajíc of Hazmburk, Prague, 1409
Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna
Sheet 6: Holy Week (Entry into Jerusalem)
The Benedictional of St. Æthelwold, Winchester, ca. 980
British Library, London
Sheet 7: Easter
Drogo Sacramentary, Metz, ca. 850–855
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
Sheet 8: Ascension Day
Hours of Etienne Chevalier, France, mid–15 century
Musée Condé, Chantilly
Sheet 9: Pentecost
Drogo Sacramentary, Metz, ca. 850–855
Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris
Sheet 10: St. Martin
Mother Rule of the School of St. Martin, Venice, 1362
Museo Correr, Venice
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Kassette Das festliche Jahr
- Size / Format
- 10 leaves / 45.0 × 32.0 cm
- Date
- 9th–15th cemtury
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 10 miniatures
- Content
- Ten leaves from important manuscripts
- Artist / School
- Bedford Master, Limbourg Brothers, Simon Bening and others

Mother Rule of the School of St. Martin
St. Martin
This 14th century miniature exhibits strong influences from Byzantine art, especially with regard to its magnificent burnished gold background, which is further embellished with fine embossing. Rather than being depicted in contemporary fashions, as was common, St. Martin is shown here in the dress of a Roman cavalryman from Late Antiquity.
According to legend, St. Martin used his sword to cut his cloak in two in order to clothe a beggar freezing in Winter. The beggar is depicted here naked but wearing a hat and holding one end of St. Martin’s fur-lined cloak, which he is about to cut with his sword. St. Martin’s magnificent horse exceeds the boundaries of the frame, the individual hairs of its mane depicted in detail.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „The Festive Year“
Kassette Das festliche Jahr
- Publisher
- Coron Verlag – Gütersloh, 1988
- Limited Edition
- 1495 copies
- Binding
- Box
- Commentary
-
1 volume
Language: German - More Information
- 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.
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