Description
Facsimile edition made in 2007 of what is known as Las Ricas Horas de Vrelant, the Book of Hours of Queen Doña Leonor of Portugal is the masterpiece of the Grisaille miniature (grisaille technique). In Portuguese: As Perfeitíssimas Horas da rainha D. Leonor, or Livro de Horas de a rainha Leonor de Portugal.
This book belongs to the third quarter of the fifteenth century, ca. 1470, from the workshop of Wilhem Vrelant, in Bregues, which was active between 1454 and 1482. It is the so-called Book of Hours of Queen Doña Leonor, wife of John II of Portugal. Considered one of the great treasures of the National Library of Portugal. It is characterized by the extreme delicacy of the layout of the marginal ornamentations, which are never repeated, in which the stylized plant motifs, animals, human and fantastic figures, are intertwined in great profusion through the illustrations and the dominant colors of this work: gray, black and gold, grisaille, except for the strong blue of the sky in some scenes. That is why it is a beautiful Book of Hours, unusual and extremely curious in its color, a unique copy that should not be missing in your collection and in your Library.
The scenes are the normal ones in the books of hours: the Visitation, the Announcement to the shepherds, the presentation of the Child in the temple, the massacre of the innocents, the Final Judgment and the office of the dead; but very different from the use due to its characteristic grisaille style. The treatment of the figures is perfect according to A. de Schiver, as well as the landscape or architectural framing.
Another aspect that deserves to be highlighted is the uniqueness, abundance and narrative character of the marginal figures. They walk its margins, full of small figures that interact with each other: archers, men with swords, spears and even unarmed peasants. It also contains biblical figures and stories, mourners and scenes alluding to court life, where music has a significant presence.
The codex is written in Latin, in southern Gothic script. Its binding reflects that of the time, in wood covered with chestnut leather, dry-engraved irons and traces of two closures.
The characteristics of the facsimile are the following:
Edition of codex IL.165 of the National Library of Portugal.
Volume format 13.5 x 18.5 cm. 330 pages.
Limited print run of 500 numbered and notarized copies.
Special stamping with weft concealment at variable points.
Special paper reproducing treated and aged parchment. Color treatment based on the original, through an extremely rigorous quality process.
Reproduction of gold with thermo-stamping, with successive aging treatments and reliefs of sheets.
Reproduction of special decorations (burnished, punched, lacquered and satin).
The facsimile is presented in a box-case-book, dry-decorated with the same motifs as the codex binding but in lighter leather. Format 19 x 23.3 x 6 cm.
Accompanied by the corresponding study book co-published in 2018 by Taberna Libraria and A4 Edicions (ISBNs 9788494778995 and 9789992067192), bound in illustrated hardcover, 23.3 x 31 cm format. 208 illustrated pages with texts in Portuguese by Delmira Espada Custódio.
A codex that reflects the exceptional nature of Vrelant’s artistic work and a facsimile of great quality and beauty.
Complete copy in perfect condition, new, unused.
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