Printed Book of Hours (Use of Rome) In Latin and French, imprint

Printed Book of Hours (Use of Rome)
In Latin and French, imprint illuminated parchment
Paris, Gillet Hardouin (active in Paris, 1491-1521), c. 1509 (almanac for 1509-1520)
17 metalcuts, 3 smaller metalcuts, after designs by the Workshop of Jean Pichore, handpainted likely in the Workshop of Hardouin
90 ff., preceded and followed by a single paper leaf, complete (collation: a-k8, l4, m6), printed on parchment, ruled in
light pink, printed in a gothic textura font in red and black, signature "Ro" designating liturgical use of Rome,
Calendar laid-out in a single column, Calendar initials KL in liquid gold on dark pink or blue grounds, initials
throughout in similar liquid gold on dark pink or blue grounds, small metalcuts inserted in the text justification, large
metalcuts set in architectonic liquid gold frames with dangling cords and tassels, recalling those in the manuscript Book
of Hours of Cardinal de Berulle attributed to Jean Pichore (see Zöhl, figs. 32, 36, 39), all metalcuts hand-painted in
bright colors. Bound in full red velvet (17th c.?), smooth spine, traces of gilt edges (velvet a bit worn, else in good
condition). Dimensions 150 x 68 mm.
Printed for the use of Rome, this rare Book of Hours is a fine example of a Parisian printed Book
of Hours, enhanced with period coloring. The format (octavo agenda) of these Horae is unusual,
very narrow and oblong, allowing for easy use as a vademecum for private devotion. Only two
other copies are known (London, BL; Tenschert and Nettekoven, III, no. 143). These Horae
contain engravings usually found in the in-octavo series of engravings by members of the
workshop of Jean Pichore for the Hardouin brothers. Because of the narrow format of this
imprint, Gillet Hardouin used cuts from the cycle of small engravings and from the border
cycles, since large engravings would not fit.
PROVENANCE
1. Printed in Paris by Gillet or Gilles Hardouin, with an almanac for the years 1509-1520,
suggesting a date of printing circa 1509. Gillet Hardouin or Hardouyn was a printer
active in Paris from 1491 until 1521/1523, at which point his brother Germain took over
the enterprise, exercising until 1541. (see Renouard, 198; J. Müller, Dictionnaire abrégé des
imprimeurs/éditeurs français du XVIe s. (1970), p. 76)).
There are only two other recorded copies of this rare imprint printed in octavo agenda
form (London, BL, c. 29. C. 14; Tenschert and Nettekoven , III, no. 143). The present
rediscovered copy is thus the third known copy. See Bohatta, 898; not in Lacombe;
Moreau, I, 112; Tenschert and Nettekoven, III, 143, pp. 1184-1191.
2. European Continental Collection.
TEXT
sig. a1, Title-page: “A l'honneur // de Dieu et de la glorieu-//-se vierge Marie de monseigneur
sainct // Jehan l'evangeliste // et de toute la court // de paradis. Cy com-//-mencent les heures //
nostre Dame a l'u-//-saige de Romme tout // au long sans riens // requerir avec plu-//-sieurs
antiennes: // suffrages et oraisons // de plusieurs sainctz // et sainctes selon ledit // usaige.
Imprimées // a Paris par Gillet // Hardouyn demou [sic] // au bout du pont nostre Dame devant
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// sainct Denis de la // chartre a l'enseigne // de la rose”;
sig. a1v, Almanac for the years 1509-1520;
sig. a2-a7, Calendar, in red and black ink;
sig. a7v-a8, Gospel according to John;
sig. a8-a8v, Gospel according to Luke;
sig. b1-b1v, Gospel according to Matthew;
sig. b1v-b2, Gospel according to Mark;
sig. b2-b6, Passion according to John; followed by prayers;
sig. b6-b7, Obsecro te;
sig. b7v-f2, Hours of the Virgin, intermixed with Hours of the Cross and Holy Spirit;
sig. f2v-f7v, Psalms and prayers to be recited according to the days of the week
sig. f7v-h2, Penitential Psalms; followed by Litany and Prayers;
sig. h2v-i6v, Office of the Dead (use of Rome);
sig. i7-i8v, O intemerata; Stabat Mater; Prayers;
sig; i8v-k5, Suffrages;
sig. k5v-k8, Prayers, Missus est gabriel; Te deprecor; Ave ancilla trinitatis; Noble mere du redempteur;
sig. k8-k8v, Seven verses of Saint Gregory, rubric, Les sept oraisons sainct gregoire;
sig. k8v-l1v, Seven Joys of the Virgin; Salutation to the Virgin;
sig. l1v-l2, Prayer of Saint Anselm; Gaude flore virginali; Ave cuius conceptio; O bone Jesu;
sig. l2-l4, Prayers, Les douze grans aousions [abusions] de ce siecle; Les douze pechez mortelz; Les trois verités; Les
sept vertus; Les sept oeuvres de la misericorde; Les sept sacrements de saincte eglise; Les dix commandements de dieu; Les
commandements de la sainte eglise;
sig. l4-l4v,Table of contents;
sig. l4v, Prayer, En la parfin de l'oeuvre louer dieu...; motto, “Tout pour le mieulx”;
sig l4v, Colophon: “Ces presentes heures a l'usai-//-ge de Romme tout au long sans ri-//-en
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requerir ont esté nouvellement // imprimées a Paris par Gillet Har-//-douyn imprimeur
demourant au // bout du pont nostre dame devant // sainct Denis de la chartre a l'ensei-//-gne de
la rose”;
sig. m1-m3, Office of the Conception of the Virgin;
sig. m3v-m4v, Hours of Saint Barbara;
sig. m4v-m6v, Hours of the Passion.
Printed Books of Hours were one of the mainstays of Parisian publishers and printers in the
Renaissance; countless editions were produced between 1488 and 1568. The new technology of
printing, at least in theory, introduced Books of Hours, a prayer book for the laity, to a broader
audience. Certainly the growing urban middle class was one of the chief purchasers of these
books. Although some printed Books of Hours were left in their pristine black- and-white
condition, just as they came off the press (though they invariably had painted initials, line
endings, and ruling added by hand), many had their prints lavishly painted. The artists who
colored the printed illustrations were often active as traditional illuminators as well, making it
difficult to distinguish the illustrations from those found in manuscripts. Sometimes, painters
altered the printed image considerably or even overlaid it entirely with a new image.
ILLUSTRATION
All engravings are taken from various series of small engravings and border cycles designed by
the workshop of Jean Pichore for the in-octavo editions of Gillet and Germain Hardouyn, unless
otherwise noted.
sig a1, John the Evangelist;
sig. a7v, Martyrdom of John the Evangelist;
sig. a8v, Saint Luke [small engraving designed by the Master of the Très Petites Heures of Anne
of Brittany (MAB) for Hardouin];
sig. b1v, Saint Mark [small engraving designed by the Master of the Très Petites Heures of Anne
of Brittany (MAB) for Hardouin];
sig. b2, Bearing of the Cross;
sig. b7v, Fall of Man (Adam and Eve, Tree of Life and Death figure);
sig. b8, Annunciation;
sig. c4, Visitation;
sig. c8v, Flagellation of Christ;
sig. d1v, Pentecost;
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sig. d2, Nativity;
sig. d4v, Annunciation to the Shepherds;
sig. d7, Presentation in the Temple (incorrectly placed);
sig. e1v, Presentation in the Temple:
sig. e4, Flight into Egypt;
sig. e7v, Coronation of the Virgin;
sig. f8v, Prophet standing with a scroll (from the Prophets and Sibyls tradition);
sig. g1, King David in Prayer;
sig. g8v, Prophet standing with a scroll (repeated) (from the Prophets and Sibyls tradition);
sig. h1, Job on his dungheap.
This hand-painted Book of Hours is of an unusual octavo agenda format, very narrow and tall
(on these smaller and unusual formats, see Tenschert and Nettekoven, III, pp. 1178-1183: “Sehr
kleine Studenbucher und andere Sonderformate der Spatzeit”). There are only 3 known
exemplars of this edition: the present rediscovered copy; London, BL, c. 29. C. 14; Tenschert
and Nettekoven, III, no. 143. The narrow and unusual format and difficulties incurred in lay-out
forced Gillet Hardouin to use other metalcuts – from a smaller series and from border cycles –
to illustrate these Horae.
These Horae are illustrated with 17 large and 3 small metalcuts, most of which were designed for
the Hardouin brothers by an artist from the workshop of Jean Pichore, responsible for the small
metalcuts and the border cycles in the in-octavo and quarto series of metalcuts, also designed by
members of the workshop of Jean Pichore for the Hardouin brothers in the years 1505-1509.
The designs are here from the series of small illustrations (“Kleinbilder,” or “Kleinbildfolge
Pichore-Werkstatt für Hardouin”; see Tenschert and Nettekoven, II, p. 537), from the border
cycle relative to the Destruction of Jerusalem (“Zyklus zur Zerstörung Jerusalems”; see
Tenschert and Nettekoven, II, p. 535), from the series “Accidents de l'homme” and from the
Apocalyspe border cycle (“Apokalypsezyclus”) [for instance the engraving picturing the
Martyrdom of Saint John the Evangelist, sig. a7]. On the close association between Jean
Pichore, his workshop and the Hardouin Brothers, it is useful to refer to Tenschert and
Nettekoven, II, pp. 534-538: “Studenbuchdrucke der Brüder Hardouin in Oktav mit Graphik
aus Jean Pichores Werkstatt.”
Although Pichore was mainly an illuminator, he was also an entrepreneur at the head of a large
and productive workshop in Paris, where the designs for the present metalcuts were elaborated.
Pichore tried his hand at printing, setting up a press with Remi de Laistre in 1503. He designed
numerous metalcuts for himself and others, publishing a first series under his own name in 1504.
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By 1508, he was supplying designs for Books of Hours by other printers, especially Simon
Vostre, Thielman Kerver, and the brothers Gillet and Germain Hardouin. Georges d’Amboise,
archbishop of Rouen, was one of Pichore’s major clients and thus his style has sometimes been
confused with that of Rouen, though artistically he is most indebted to Jean Poyer (d. 1503),
with whom he must have trained early in his career. He is securely documented for work on two
manuscripts, the first volume of Augustine’s De civitate Dei of c. 1501/03 and the Chants royaux for
Louise of Savoy of 1517 (both BnF, MSS lat. 2070 and fr. 145). Pichore managed a large family
enterprise responsible for the illumination of a great number of classical, secular, and religious
works. As the metalcuts in the present book demonstrate, he (and his workshop) was also
receptive to Netherlandish and, especially, German prints. As such he played an important role
in supplying “Renaissance” designs for printed Books of Hours and introducing aspects of Dürer
and Schongauer’s art to French audiences.
The metalcuts in this copy are finely hand-painted and framed in liquid gold. The rich, vivid
palette and line-drawn facial features is typical of artists working in the Pichore atelier, raising
the possibility of an association between one of these painters and the Hardouin brothers. The
artist, or at least a cohesive group of similarly trained artists, seems to have had a long-term
collaboration with these printers Gillet and Germain Hardouin.
LITERATURE
Bohatta, Hanns. Bibliographie der Livres d’Heures: Horae BMV, Officia, Hortuli Animae, Coronae BMV,
Rosaria und Cursus BMV des XV und XVI Jahrhunderts, Vienna, 1924, p. 40, no. 897.
Lacombe, P. Livres d’heures imprimés au XVe et XVIe siècle, conservés dans les bibliothèques publiques de Paris,
Mansfield Centre (CT), 2002 (reprint of 1907 edition).
Moreau, B. Inventaire chronologique des éditions parisiennes...tome I, 1501-1510, Paris, 1972.
Renouard, P. Répertoire des imprimeurs parisiens, Paris, 1965, pp. 197-8 (s.v. Hardouyn, Gillet).
Tenschert, H. and I. Nettekoven, Horae BMV. 158 Stundenbuchdrucke der Sammlung Bibermühle 1490-1550",
H. Tenschert, 2003.
Zöhl, C. Jean Pichore: Buchmaler, Graphiker und Verleger in Paris um 1500, Turnhout, Brepols, 2004.
ONLINE RESOURCES
Paul Lacombe, Livres d’heures imprimés au XVe et au XVIe siècle conservés dans les
bibiothèques publiques de Paris, Paris, Imprimerie nationale, 1907
http://www.rarebooks.info/
Zöhl, C., et al. Digital Horae: Books of Hours and Graphic Series in French Early Printing (c. 1485-1550)
http://horae.geschkult.fu-berlin.de
BOH 93
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