The Black Book of Hours, Verlag, Luzern, 2001

Facsimile of the Black Book of Hours created around 1475 in Bruges. Publisher: Verlag, Luzern Date: 2001 Edition: 245/980 17 x 12 cm 242 pages Cover: Black velvet with gold buttons and a clasp, gold plated. Protective acrylic glass case (small chip) A second book takes up the scientific comments written by Bernard Bousmanne, director of the manuscripts department of the Royal Library Albert I in Brussels, in collaboration with William Voelkle, curator of the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York. The black book of hours is a medieval book of hours so called because of the black background of the pages obtained by a dye bath. This Book of Hours, which was composed in Bruges in 1475 in the entourage of Willem Vrelant, represents a masterpiece of the art of Gothic illumination. It was commissioned by an unknown figure of the Court of Burgundy. It is kept at the Pierpont Morgan New York Library. Among the three manuscripts preserved on black parchment and linked to the world, this is the only one that presents fourteen full-page miniatures illustrating the life of the Virgin and of Christ as well as the liturgical year. - the crucifixion (next to the beginning of the Matins of the Cross) - Pentecost (in relation to the beginning of the matins of the Holy Spirit) - the Virgin and Child (next to the start of the Mass of the Virgin) - the annunciation (opposite the beginning of the hours of the Virgin) - the visitation - the Nativity - the annunciation to the shepherds - the adoration of the Magi - the massacre of the innocent - the flight into Egypt - the coronation of the virgin - David in prayer (opposite the beginning of the Psalms) - the resurrection of Lazarus (in relation to the beginning of the vigils of the dead) - a funeral scene (next to the beginning of the matins of the dead) the Codex with its unique design, colored in gold, silver and blue is considered a precious rarity.

Dimensions :
- Height : 17 cm