Description
Extraordinary and beautiful facsimile edition of the Book of Hours of Mary Stuart (1542-1587), queen of Scotland, France and (in truth) also of England, and the Order of her execution signed by Queen Elizabeth I (1533-1603) ) from England.
Made by the Italian publisher ArtCodex in 2011, in a numbered, certified edition limited to 999 copies. The original manuscript of the Book of Hours is preserved in the Classense Library of Ravenna (Italy), Ms. 62; and the original document of the Writ of Execution, signed on February 1, 1587 by Queen Elizabeth I, is kept in the Library of Lambeth Palace (London, England), Ms. 4769.
Facsimile bound in burgundy red silk velvet, a jade stone set in the central gilt ornament while the corner elements are set with pearls. Small format (pocket book) of 7 x 10 cm. It is delivered along with the execution order and volume of comments in a luxury velvet-covered wooden box.
Comment: 1 volume (108 pages) by Claudia Giuliani, texts in Italian.
The original codex is dated to the beginning of the 16th century and made in Ghent or Bruges (Belgium). It is a wonderful Book of Hours that is among the most beautiful surviving examples of Flemish illumination from the early 16th century. Beautiful small paintings are represented in magnificent, luminous colors and in many places are gilded.
This jewel of illumination is accompanied by a document steeped in history: the Warrant of Execution of Mary Stuart, signed by Queen Elizabeth I on February 1, 1587. This compendium offers a glimpse into the life of one of the most tragic figures of the history.
The owner of the Book of Hours was the famous Mary Stuart. The Catholic Queen of Scotland had to leave her country due to political and religious unrest and flee to England. New tensions with Queen Elizabeth I of England fueled Mary Stuart’s hopes for the English throne. After she was suspected of having participated in an assassination attempt, she was executed for high treason on February 7, 1587. The death sentence, dated February 1, bears the signature of Queen Elizabeth I at the bottom of the page. Today, this death sentence is preserved in Lambeth Palace Library and represents an important testament to English history.
The Book of Hours was the Queen’s private prayer book, which accompanied her in her final hours. She gave him comfort and relief as she prayed and held him to her heart. Nothing was closer to her in the hours of mortal fear than her Book of Hours. Through her confessor, who came from Ravenna, the manuscript finally reached Italy, where it is today preserved in the Classense Library of Ravenna.
A true world of wonders spreads before the viewer’s eyes in 385 pages. 41 full-page miniatures adorn Mary Stuart’s private prayer book which was probably made in the early 16th century in Flanders, either Bruges or Ghent. An unknown Flemish master adorned the text with numerous beautiful initials and ingenious miniatures. The spiritual text is preceded by a calendar that represents the months on seven pages along with the corresponding signs of the zodiac. Gorgeous wide frames, extremely colorful and designed with floral tendril elements, surround the text. In turn, the frames of the calendar pages show scenes of a rustic genre, for example, the thresher working among the streets of a Flemish city.
The 19 miniature pages are extremely artistically designed, while a wide frame always surrounded the actual miniature in the center of the image. The frames are filled with naturalistic representations of fruits, leaves and flowers, but also small animals and insects. The miniatures, designed as individual paintings, illustrate the texts of the various biblical scenes, for example, the Annunciation or the Savior of the World. They are painted with great art and show some wonderful landscape or architectural interior as a background. The luminous color of the paintings is impressive, which is further accentuated by the application of gold. Stylistically the miniatures refer to an origin in Flanders, either in Ghent or Bruges. Great names in the art of lighting such as Jan van Eyck, Simon Bening or Gerard David come to mind.
Alternative titles: Stundenbuch und Hinrichtungsurkunde der Maria Stuart. Book of Prayer by Maria Stuarda. Order of execution of Mary Queen of Scots. Stundenbuch der Maria Stuart. Hinrichtungsurkunde für Maria Stuart.
Complete copy and in perfect condition.
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