Book of Hours of Besançon

Each new text is heralded by full-page miniatures, originally numbering eighteen, of which twelve endure. With over three hundred miniatures adorned in vivid colors and accented with gold, this codex undoubtedly served as a prestigious object crafted for a high-ranking patron.

Opening with a calendar adorned with narrow depictions of zodiac signs and monthly labors, each subsequent page presents a tall, slender marginal image. These paintings weave tales, some rarely depicted in art, from the Old Testament’s Genesis through Tobit, with a brief interlude for scenes from the Passion of Christ and the early ministries of the apostles. However, the final two images remain enigmatic puzzles.

Jean Colombe, renowned as the Master of Bourges, is celebrated for the uniqueness of his painting style and the grandeur of his decorative schemes. The Besançon manuscript, akin to other notable works such as the Book of Hours of Louis de Laval and The Book of Hours of Le Peley, boasts hundreds of miniatures, likely have required the use of assistants. Notably, the surviving evangelist portraits within the Besançon book feature elaborate interior settings, adorned with mural paintings depicting scenes from the life of Christ associated with each respective author.

Yet, a shift in artistic execution becomes apparent towards the manuscript’s conclusion. While most of the illumination is attributed to Colombe and his assistants, the final miniatures bear the hallmarks of a different artistic hand, possibly belonging to a follower of Guillaume Lambert, an active figure in Lyon.

Written in the elegant French Bâtarde script, the manuscript seamlessly blends French-language calendars, Latin prayer texts, and French explanations of the Old Testament narratives within fictive scrolls. Delicate touches of alternating red and blue ink within the calendar entries, with solemn feasts embellished in gold, enhance its visual allure. Additionally, the manuscript boasts hundreds of meticulously crafted decorated initials and line fillers, executed in gold against a backdrop of blue and red.

Despite its artistic sophistication, the patronage and early ownership of the manuscript remain shrouded in mystery. Clues to its provenance are sparse, with the decorative emphasis on Saint Peter among the few suffrages potentially hinting at the preferences of its initial possessor. In the 17th century, the manuscript found its home in the library of the Benedictine priory of Saint-Désiré at Lons-le-Saunier, where it acquired its current leather binding over pasteboard, reflective of its enduring legacy across centuries.

The facsimile edition of the the Book of Hours of Besançon is complemented by a bookcase for its conservation and a complementary study book made by subject matter experts.

This facsimile is a unique edition of 500 books numbered and authenticated by notarial deed.