Van Damme Hours

Van Damme Hours

During the last golden age of Flemish book painting, a small-format book of hours originated in the workshops of the scribe Antonius van Damme (active 1495–1545) and the well-known miniature painter Simon Bening (1483–1561) in Bruges. The 258-page manuscript from 1531 captivates with its 32 realistic full-page miniatures, which are hard to beat in terms of their richness of detail and brilliant coloring. There are also 32 initial pages, whose floral borders form a fascinating contrast to the religious scenes and calendar pages. The scribe’s gotica rotunda is characterized by an incredible degree of uniformity with evenly spaced, almost square letters, which are evident in the book of hours at hand.

Uncomfortable Field Work and Aristocratic Pleasures

The twelve calendar pages with their charming vignettes, whose scenes show both the heavy field work of the farmers, as well as the aristocratic amusements of the rich, are especially appealing. Bening portrays the reality of everyday life in 16th century Flanders with great attention to detail. For the rich, it is mainly activities such as feasting, hunting, and cozy gatherings, while the peasants cultivate the fields and vineyards, collect harvests, and look after the animals. However, what all monthly activities have in common is that they take place against the backdrop of seasonal change.

Modern “Close Ups”

Dramatic "close-ups" are a tasteful way to reduce the distance between the viewer and the characters. Bening deliberately places his actors close to the front edge of the picture and thus creates a more intimate mood. This compositional fineness gives the scenes, e.g. people sitting before a fire on a cold winter’s day, a greater sense of immediacy for the beholder. Housed in a red velvet binding with fine silver filigree covers, this Flemish book of hours is a masterpiece both inside and out.