MANUSCRIPTS-Continued.

gridiron, S. Denis holding his own head after martyrdom, S. Martin dividing his cloak, S. Maurus with staff and book, S. Fiacre with spade and book, S. Genevieve, the angel holding candle, and the devil blowing it out with bellows, etc. The scenes in the calendar are of peculiar interest, depicting MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE OF THE TIME, emblematic of the 12 Months, viz.: Feasting, Pruning, Picking Flowers Hawking, Reaping, Threshing, Wine Pressing, Killing the Wild Boar, etc.

2131. HORE BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS ad usum Parisiensem, cum Calendario. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM OF THE 15TH CENTURY WRITTEN IN BOLD GOTHIC CHARACTER IN RED AND BLACK, WITH THE CALENDAR IN BLUE AND RED, PROBABLY EXECUTED IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 170 leaves, (8 x 6 inches). Embellished with 12 LARGE MINIATURES (Flemish School), some with diapered backgrounds, 2 historiated initials, numerous elaborate borders composed of thickly interlaced foliage, flowers, scrolls, etc., illuminated in gold and colors, and numerous illuminated initials. 4to, old French red morocco gilt, gilt edges, in old calf slip case. Sæc. XV.

* A BEAUTIFUL MANUSCRIPT. The arrangement of the borders, executed in "line and leaf" design, is unusual; throughout the greater part the rectos of the folios have two lateral borders, one on each side of the page, and the versos have one border only. A few very small miniatures are introduced, representing the Virgin weaving, Joseph as a carpenter, etc. The names of these saints written in blue, including St. Vincent (Jan. 22): St. Eloy (June 25); St. Martial (July 3); St. Martin (July 4); St. Anne (July 26); Commemoration of St. Owen, St. Louis (Aug. 25); St. Denis (Oct. 9); St. Roman (Oct. 23); St. Katherine (Nov. 25). The Litanies invoke St. Victor, martyr; St. Yvon and St. Germain, confessors.

162

2132. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS ad usum Romanum cum Calendario. MS. ON VELLUM OF THE 15TH CENTURY WRITTEN IN BOLD GOTHIC CHARACTER IN RED AND BLACK, AND PROBABLY EXECUTED AT AMIENS. leaves (74 x 5 inches). ORNAMENTED WITH 18 BEAUTIFUL MINIATURES. Each page of text has a lateral border of ivy leaves traced in black and finished in burnished gold with brightly colored flowers; the pages containing miniatures having unusually elaborate borders, introducing a variety of flowers and fruits. 8vo, old French brown morocco, the sides in compartments formed by interlacing fillets, scrolls, arabesques and leaf sprays, possibly by Clovis Eve. Sæc. XV.

*The miniatures, the coloring of which is fresh and pure, include The Virgin and Child with two figures kneeling before them-presumably the original owners for whom the manuscript was written. The saints in the Calendar comprise: St. Genevieve (Jan. 3), St. Vincent (Jan. 22), St. Agathe (Feb. 5), St. George (April 23), St. Nicholas (May 9), St. Christopher (July 25), St. Louis (Aug. 25), St. Denis (Oct. 9), St. Clement (Nov. 24), St. Katherine (Nov. 26); while in the litanies are found St. Firmin and St. Fuscian, martyrs; St. Honoratus, confessor; St. Ulla, virgin.

MANUSCRIPTS-Continued.

2133. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS ad usum Romanum cum Calendario. MS. ON VELLUM OF THE 15TH CENTURY WRITTEN IN GOTHIC CHARACTERS IN RED AND BLACK, PROBABLY EXECUTED IN THE NORTHEAST OF FRANCE. 224 leaves (4 13/16 x 34 inches). EMBELLISHED WITH 20 FINE MINIATURES PAINTED IN "CAMAÏEU GRIS heightened with gold and surrounded by borders composed of scrolls, leaves, flowers, grotesque figures, etc., illuminated in gold and colors, and numerous illuminated ornamental initials. Small 8vo, red levant morocco, gilt-tooled borders and centre ornaments inlaid in brown morocco on the sides, gilt edges, by Lortic, in a levant morocco slip case. Sæc. XV.

* A FINE EXAMPLE OF MINIATURE WORK IN “ CAMAÏEU GRIS " apparently by two different hands. Among the miniatures are Christ teaching the Disciples, the Beheading of St. James, the Crucifixion of St. Andrew, the Martyrdom of St, Stephen, the Last Judgment and St. Barbara. The Calendar has St. Vaast (Feb. 6 & July 17), St. Eloy (June 25), St. Louis (Aug. 25), St. Remi (Oct. 1), St. Denis (Oct. 9), St. Eloy (Dec. 1) and St. Nichaise (Dec. 14), all written in red. In the litanies are found St. Louis, confessor; St. Gertrude and St. Genofeva, virgins.

2134. HORE BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS ad usum Romanum cum Calendario. MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM OF THE 15TH CENTURY, WRITTEN IN MINUTE GOTHIC CHARACTERS, WITH THE CALENDAR IN BLACK AND BLUE, EXECUTED IN FRENCH AND PROBABLY AT ANGERS. 107 leaves (5 9-16 x 3 inches). ORNAMENTED WITH 7 MINIATURES, 5 smalier delicately executed pictures in grisaille (red, blue and brown) heightened with gold, and 7 lateral borders of foliage scrolls, etc., in gold and colors; also numerous large and small illuminated initials. 16mo, old brown French morocco, tooled and gilt, in compartments formed by interlaced bands, arabesques and leaf sprays in the spaces, and on the centre of the front cover the name "FRANCOIS LE BIGOT and on the back cover "PERRETTE D'AMOVRS," gilt back, gilt edges, with ties by Clovis Eve, in a morocco case.

Sæc. XV.

*A remarkable Specimen, the Miniatures painted with microscopic delicacy and the text in an extremely minute hand, with tiny initial letters. In the Calendar are written in blue St. Anthony (Jan. 17), Translatio Sancti Nicolai (May 9), St. Margaret (July 13), St. Maurilius, Bishop of Angers (Sept. 13); St. Michael (Sept. 29), St. Denis (Oct. 9), St. Renatus, Bishop of Angers (Nov. 12).

The subjects of the miniatures are; 1. The Visitation of Elizabeth; 2. The Nativity; 3. The Announcement to the Shepherds; 4. The Adoration of the Magi; 5. The Presentation in the Temple; 6. The Flight into Egypt; 7. The Coronation of the Virgin.

2135. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS ad usum Romanum, cum Calendario. MS. ON VELLUM OF THE 15TH CENTURY WRITTEN IN LETTRES BÂTARDES IN BLACK AND

MANUSCRIPTS-Continued.

RED, AND PROBABLY EXECUTED IN THE NORTH OF FRANCE. 165 leaves (5 x 4 inches). Ornamented with 37 LARGE and 6 SMALL MINIATURES, 19 historiated borders having scenes relating to the Life of Christ and the Virgin, and numerous initials in red, blue and gold. All the pages of the text have lateral borders of flowers and scrolls in colors on a dull gold ground. Small Svo, old French green morocco, gilt dentelle borders on the sides, gilt edges, by · Derome, with ticket, in a levant morocco slip case.

Sæc. XV.

*An interesting example of French Miniature Art of the period. Many of the larger illuminations are accompanied by small composite miniatures-on the lower or outer margins— representing Rural and Domestic Scenes, the characters in contemporary costume, while there is a remarkable series of large allegorical subjects representing the Seven Cardinal Sins, executed on the upper portions of 7 leaves. The execution and technique is fine, and the grouping of the figures depicted with the graceful ease of an accomplished artist. The Calendar has the following Saints in red: Hylarius (Jan. 13); Agatha (Jan. 5); Eupardius (July 2); Radegunda (Aug. 13). In the litanies are found: Cornelius, Dionysius, Mauritius, martyrs; Fiacre, Louis, Fortunatus, Clodoaldus, Guillermus, confessors; Florentia, Catharina, Radegunda, virgins.

2136. HORÆ BEATÆ MARIÆ VIRGINIS, secundum usum Romanum. A FRENCH MANUSCRIPT OF THE LATTER PART OF THE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, WRITTEN IN NEAT ROMAN CHARACTERS, the rubrics in red and blue on 119 leaves of vellum (7" x 44"). 16 LARGE MINIATURES, surrounded by borders of fruit, flowers, birds and grotesques in brilliant colors on dull, gold ground, 20 small Miniatures of Evangelists and Saints, including S. Sebastian suffering martyrdom, S. Roche, showing his wound to the angel, with dog bringing bread, S. Fiacre with open book, S. Margaret devoured by demon, etc., 24 MINIATURES IN THE KALENDAR, the subjects being rural scenes, and the Zodiacal signs, arranged two in the outer margins and two at the foot of each page, within gold architectural borders, each leaf within a narrow border of red, blue and burnished gold, the initials and paragraph spaces also illuminated throughout. Small 8vo, red levant morocco, gilt and blind tooling on sides, doublure of light blue morocco, gilt edges, by Bretault. Sæc. XV,

*The Kalendar, which is of unusual composition and beauty, presents a striking appearance, the miniatures being executed with peculiar charm and richness. It mentions S. Eufemie, S. Gerematus (May 18 and Sept. 24), S. Processus, S. Ebrulfus, etc. The suffrage to S. Roche has been crossed through in a later hand, and in this connection it is interesting to note on one of the fly-leaves the following inscription possibly by the same hand: "Fr. Paulus Vicarius sanctæ Inquisitionis vidit."

MANUSCRIPTS-Continued.

HOURS OF ANNE DE BEAUJEU.

2137. HORE BEATE MARIE VIRGINIS ad usum Romanum cum calendario. MS. ON VELLUM OF FRENCH EXECUTION WRITTEN IN LETTRES BÂTARDES IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE 15TH CENTURY. On 332 leaves of fine vellum (5 3/4 x 4 3/16 inches). Beautifully ornamented with 24 SMALL MINIATURES in the Calendar, representing the occupations of the months and the signs of the Zodiac, the letter in camaïeu bleu; 107 MAGNIFICENT FULL-PAGE MINIATURES, and many hundred illuminated initials. Small square 8vo, old French red morocco, gilt tooled panelled sides, central and corner ornaments, gilt edges, possibly by Le Gascon, in a morocco slip case. Sæc. XV.

* A VERY REMARKABLE MANUSCRIPT EXECUTED FOR THE "REGENTA, ANNE DE BEAUJEU, DAUGHTER OF KING LOUIS XI. OF FRANCE, whose portrait appears several times, both in her own person and as the Virgin Mary (folios 7, 42, 98, 105, 253), while in several landscapes is a representation of her favorite resi dence, the Château de Loches (folios 77, 108, 126, 144, and 211). The figure of David in armor (folios 269 and 307), with blond hair and beard, appears to be the portrait of Pierre de Beaujeu, her husband.

THE MINIATURES IN THIS MANUSCRIPT WERE PAINTED BY SEVERAL ARTISTS OF THE SCHOOL OF TOURAINE, THE FINEST BEING UNDOUBTEDLY THE WORK OF JEHAN FOUCQUET, who, in 1477 (the probable date of execution of the volume), was about sixty years of age. The composition of the paintings, the richness and elaboration of architectural detail, the predilection for blue in the coloring of the costumes, and the lavish use of gold, especially in armor, are all characteristic of Foucquet. Moreover, the face of St. Luke (folio 29 v.) resembles the enamel portrait of him in the Louvre.

The variety of subjects in this manuscript, including secular and Biblical scenes from both the Old and the New Testament, make it one of the most interesting in the present collection.

The names of the following saints are written in red in the Calendar: St. Vincent (22 Jan.); Saint Gregoire (12 March); St. Nicholas (9 May); St. Urban (25 May); St. Eloy (25 June); St. Denis (9 Oct.); St. Katherine (25 Nov.); and St. Ursin (29 Dec.).

For a detailed description of this splendid manuscript see the "Catalogue des manuscrits et imprimés de la Bibliothèque de M. Ambroise Firmin-Didot," Paris, 1882, no. 17, to whom the volume belonged.

[See Illustration.]