Très belles Heures de Notre-Dame (BNF NAL 3093)

Christening, f. 161v.

Colloquial name(s): Très belles Heures de Notre-Dame

Official name(s): Bibliothèque nationale de France, NAL 3093

Date: 1375-1400 and 1400-25 (source)

Origin: Paris and possibly Bourges (source)

Online facsimile available via: Bibliothèque nationale de France Gallica digital library

This manuscript was completed in two campaigns, one in Paris and a later one possibly in Bourges (source). The Parisian part originally contained 31 pages with illustrations, 25 of which remain today (source). Art historians do not agree on the different campaigns of decoration - Millard Meiss considers them to have begun about 1380 whereas Eberhardt König considers it to have been begun no earlier than April 1404 due to events commemorated by the original calendar, notably the death of Jeanne d'Armagnac (source).

Various artists contributed to this manuscript including the Master of the Parement of Narbonne, who is sometimes identified with the painter Jean d'Orléans, who was active between 1361 and 1407 (source). This artist is considered to have painted the eight illustrations for the Hours of the Virgin as well as those for the Office of the Dead and the Orations of the Passion (source). The illustrations were left partially completed, possibly due to the death of the artist (source).

Subsequently, two illuminators partially completed the majority of the illustrations before 1409 (source). These artists were the Master of St John the Baptist, who did the illustrations for the Hours of the Passion, and the second who has been identified with the Master of the Holy Spirit, perhaps Henry Belle, who illustratd the Office of the Holy Spirit (source). The last two illustrations were added either before 1412 or between 1412 and 1416 by the brothers Paul of Limburg and John of Limburg (source).

Basic descriptions of the illustrations are provided by the BNF with the facsimile - just click on the 'i' icon on the left-hand side.