Employed at the court of three French kings: Jean Bourdichon and his Gothic masterpiece
Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
France — Second half of the 15th century

Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
France — Second half of the 15th century
This masterpiece by Jean Bourdichon (1457/59–1521) is one of the most beautiful codices in the world
One of the greatest artists of the Renaissance, Bourdichon worked at the court of three French kings
This masterpiece is one of the most technically perfect executions of the Gothic style

Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
Portrait of Mark the Evangelist
Saint Mark is depicted writing his Gospel with a stylus in his right hand and a small pen knife in his left. A lion is shown in front of him with its front paws up on the table in the way one’s pet dog might eagerly indicate that it would like to go for a walk. Both figures are accented with gold, and Mark has a floral patterned collar made from cloth of gold. This atmospheric Evangelist portrait is a fine example of the refinement of the French Gothic style on the eve of the Renaissance.
Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
- Office of the Blessed Virgin
- Das Vatikanische Stundenbuch des Jean Bourdichon
- Vatikanisches Stundenbuch Jean Bourdichons
- Offzium der Madonna
Short Description
The Vatican Book of Hours arose in France in the second half of the 15th century and was produced by the gifted master Jean Bourdichon. The work is counted alongside Bourdichon’s Vatican Office of the Virgin among the artist’s best. It is decorated with 17 full-page miniatures and over 1,200 decorative initials.
Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
Books of hours are private prayer and meditation books, which were widely distributed starting in the 13th century. The golden age for books of hours occurred in the late 14th and 15th centuries in France and Flanders. Arising then was one of the most beautiful handwritten codices in the world. Even today, the illuminated manuscripts of the talented French and Belgian masters are able to amaze their beholders. The Vatican Book of Hours by Jean Bourdichon is one of these special masterpieces. It is adorned with 17 full-page miniatures and over 1,200 decorated initials.
The French School
The Vatican Book of Hours was designed by the French illuminator Jean Bourdichon. Bourdichon produced some of the most important manuscripts of the early French Renaissance, for example, the outstanding Vatican Office of the Virgin. He worked as a painter at the courts of three French kings, including Charles VII. As one of the most influential painters of the early Renaissance, he oversaw the Tours School. The illumination of Bourdichon impresses through its unbelievable technical perfection.
Bewitching Book Decoration
At the beginning of the book of hours there is a calendar with original representations of the 12 signs of the zodiac. Four images of the evangelists and 13 additional full-page miniatures are impressive examples of the highly-developed fine painting of Bourdichon. The work arose in the second half of the 15th century and the images adhere to the Gothic style. The Vatican Book of Hours gives proof of the talent and artistry of Bourdichon in an exquisite manner.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Office of the Blessed Virgin
Das Vatikanische Stundenbuch des Jean Bourdichon
Vatikanisches Stundenbuch Jean Bourdichons
Offzium der Madonna - Size / Format
- 236 pages / 15.5 × 9.5 cm
- Origin
- France
- Date
- Second half of the 15th century
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 17 full-page miniatures and more than 1200 initials
- Artist / School
- Jean Bourdichon (1457–1521) and his School

Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon
King David at Prayer
Most depictions of King David show him killing Goliath, composing Psalms, playing a harp, or spying on Bathsheba. This unusual depiction shows a middle-aged David in prayer, presumably before battle because he is armed and armored with a host encamped over his left shoulder. It stands in the medieval tradition of presenting the biblical David as an example of chivalry and good rule.
The miniature is a masterpiece of the French Gothic style with a rich floral frame inhabited by birds and insects that takes up half the page. It already exhibits influences from Renaissance Italy, especially with regard to the naturalism with which David himself is depicted as he gazes upward, hands folded in prayer, as rays of gold reach down to him from heaven.
2 available facsimile edition(s) of „Vatican Book of Hours from the Circle of Jean Bourdichon“
Offizium der Madonna - Stundenbuch des Jean Bourdichon (Standard Edition)
- Publisher
- Belser Verlag – Zurich, 1984
- Binding
- Leather
- Commentary
-
1 volume (136 pages) by Eberhard König
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.
Offizium der Madonna - Stundenbuch des Jean Bourdichon (Limited Edition)
- Publisher
- Belser Verlag – Zurich, 2008
- Limited Edition
- 499 copies
- Binding
- Leather
- Commentary
-
1 volume (136 pages) by Eberhard König
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.
Matching Works
Book of Hours of Guyot Le Peley
Only rediscovered in a London auction in 2005: a masterpiece by Jean Colombe with full-page and even double-sided miniatures
Experience MoreMedici-Rothschild Hours
A masterpiece of the Renaissance: the wedding present from Lorenzo de’ Medici to his daughter Magdalena
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Books of Hours
What is a book of hours? A prayer book for personal use based upon the “offices” or official prayers that were to be said...Experience moreGothic
Gothic illumination is some of the most spectacular and iconic imagery of medieval art and first emerged in Northern...Experience more15th Century
Come and explore an age of stark contrasts as Europe comes back from the brink: calamities like the Fall of...Experience morePrayer Books
Interested in a personal glimpse into the personality of a famous medieval figure? Prayer books were small codices...Experience more
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Aboca Museum
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- De Agostini/UTET
- DIAMM
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Egeria, S.L.
- Extraordinary Editions
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Helikon
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- La Meta Editore
- Leo S. Olschki
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lumen Artis
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Manuscriptum
- Millennium Liber
- Nova Charta
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Popyläen Verlag
- Prestel Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Reichert Verlag
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Salerno Editrice
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- Styria Verlag
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- Trident Editore
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Yushodo