FROM A BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN, WITH A FULL-PAGE HAND-COLORED MINIATURE OF THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPHERDS by (PRINTED LEAF ON VELLUM) - 1514[?]

Paris, 1514[?]. 198 x 130 mm. (7 3/4 x 5 1/8"). Single column, verso with 29 ruled lines in a gothic typeface.
Several one-line initials and three three-line initials, all hand-painted in liquid gold on a red or blue ground, with A FULL-PAGE METALCUT MINIATURE OF THE ANNUNCIATION TO THE SHEPHERDS, COLORED AND ILLUMINATED BY HAND, and with A FULL TROMPE-L'OEIL BORDER ENTIRELY PAINTED BY HAND, decorated with large flowers, acanthus, and a butterfly on a painted gold ground. ◆A faint pink smear on the face of the shepherd's dog, light thumb-soiling in a few places, but IN VERY FINE CONDITION, the paint especially rich and bright.

Printed on vellum, colored by a contemporary hand, and with an original trompe-l'oeil border, this leaf is a pleasing marriage of two Medieval art forms: that of the printer and of the illuminator. Although the most famous examples of Books of Hours are manuscript versions commissioned by persons of great wealth, mostly during the 15th century, the popularity of what has been called the "Medieval bestseller" did not wane after the invention of printing. In fact, the advent of movable type made Books of Hours more affordable and more widely available than ever, and artists continued to find ways to tailor these new products to the tastes (and wallets) of their clients. The present leaf most likely comes from a Book of Hours published in 1514 by Jean de la Roche for Guillaume Eustace (cf. Davies, "Early French Books" 275), which originally contained 18 large metalcuts like this one. The present miniature of the Annunciation to the Shepherds is attributed to the workshop of Jean Pichore (fl. 1490-1521). Although he is primarily known as an illuminator of manuscripts, Pichore also had a hand in the growing market for printed material, designing a series of metalcut images that appeared in several Books of Hours published in the early 16th century. In the present example, the printed image is almost entirely hidden by the work of the painter and illuminator; the rich, saturated colors and profuse liquid gold create the illusion that the scene has been entirely painted by hand. The work was clearly executed by a talented painter, and it is especially interesting to see where they have taken certain liberties to change some of the scene's details; when held up to the light, we can see that a small group of sheep in the upper left corner has been entirely painted out, and part of the cityscape beneath the angel has been replaced with blue hills. The leaf was originally printed without borders, so the addition of the trompe-l'oeil flowers, acanthus, and small butterfly would have been done entirely by hand. Not only is the border a delightfully unique touch that sets this leaf apart from other examples, but it is also an indication of the wealth and fine tastes of its first owner..