Walters Book of Hours W.173

Walters Book of Hours W.173

The so-called Walters Book of Hours, kept under the signature W.173 at the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, is without question one of the most beautiful works among the magnificently illuminated books of hours by the Masters of the Gold Scrolls. This group of talented but still anonymous book artists was active in Flanders between 1410 and 1460, creating gold-decorated book treasures for wealthy clients. The group got its provisional name from the beautiful gold scroll ornament with which they uniquely decorated the backgrounds of many miniatures. In the Walters Book of Hours, created around 1440–1450, the gold scrolls appear exclusively on dark red backgrounds, lending the miniatures a special depth and opulence.

Gold-decorated Images for Private Devotion

In addition to the gold scroll backgrounds, some images also feature punched full gold backgrounds, while others already reflect the slowly emerging naturalism and show figures in front of landscapes with skies. In total, the extensive prayer texts were accompanied by eight three-quarter-page miniatures, each accompanied by a historiated initial, and 15 full-page miniatures. Six of the latter have been lost over time, which is not surprising since they were glued into the manuscript on individual sheets after binding – a godsend for later art dealers and collectors who, especially in the 19th century, helped themselves to medieval book treasures that were no longer in use.

Imaginative Book Decoration

The gold-decorated illumination is complemented by numerous smaller decorated borders and, above all, 32 wonderful inhabited full borders, each of which contains at least one small drollerie. These imaginative hybrid creatures climb among the vines, flowers, and fruits and are a charming expression of medieval humor. In addition to the figurative elements, the text is structured by means of large-format ornamental initials and countless small champie initials in shiny gold. A beautiful testimony to the Gothic art of the Flemish Masters of the Gold Scrolls!

An Official Work of the Masters of the Gold Scrolls

While a single hand was responsible for the text written with calligraphic precision, the magnificent illumination was executed by several hands. Some miniatures are marked with a red “Tau” as the work of the Masters of the Gold Scrolls, so it can be assumed that all the illuminators involved belonged to this group. The notarized artist's stamp served as their identification mark – a practice that spread among officially recognized illuminators in Flanders from 1426 onwards in order to distinguish their works from “illegal” copies.

Gold Scrolls for an Unknown Believer

The Masters of the Gold Scrolls created the precious manuscript for a woman who remains unidentified to this day – either commissioned directly by her or by someone who gave her the codex as a gift. References to the pious user are provided by the recurring initials A and M and a coat of arms indicating land ownership in Amiens and Corbie. She was also apparently particularly attached to Franciscan and French saints, as evidenced by the calendar, the litany, and the suffrages. St. Francis even appears on fol. 73v in a full-page miniature, followed by a suffrage (a short prayer following a specific pattern) to the saint. The Latin book of hours concludes with a French-language prayer to the Virgin Mary, to whom the owner may have had a special connection. Together with the coat of arms and the French saints, this could also be an indication of a French origin of the enigmatic woman.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)