The Master of Mary of Burgundy: A Book of Hours for Engelbert of Nassau ( Bodleian Library, Oxford)

People have apparently always valued lavish possessions, including those relating to religious devotion. After all, they show not only a person's impeccable taste but also their access to wealth and privilege. In the Middle Ages, such objects appeared in the form of a Book of Hours, which served as prayer books for the laity, but only the middle class or the exorbitantly wealthy could ever hope to afford one. Adorned with painfully beautiful miniature paintings and filled with perfectly executed text, all done by hand, these breathtaking books contain some of the most amazing art ever created. These tiny masterpieces remain highly obscure not only due to their distance in time and culture, but also because they reside in incredibly fragile hand-stitched codices locked away in rare book libraries only accessible to specialists. Their language also contributes to their inaccessibility. Usually written in indecipherable script in Latin or other archaic languages, few people acquire the skill to even read such works. Without proper context, historic and linguistic, these imposing aged texts can appear almost alien.Yet a Book of Hours can contain artwork so aesthetically intriguing that some people just want to know more. Doing so requires a little work and motivation. Anthologies of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts often include samples from Books of Hours, but mass produced collections rarely, if ever, come close to capturing the shocking beauty of the original works. Additional research will undoubtedly reveal the surprisingly extensive market for illuminated manuscript facsimiles. Many incredible examples exist. Equally surprising are the prices, sometimes adding up to hundreds or thousands of dollars for undeniably gorgeous reproductions. Not everyone has such disposable income at hand. The stalwart will eventually locate numerous low priced facsimiles released by the Bodleian library, the Cloisters, the Getty Museum and other such institutions. Many are now out of print, but the incessant internet marketplace keeps them readily available and affordable. These editions offer the most affordable means of experiencing something at least resembling the impact of historic hand painted books.One such example of a Book of Hours facsimile appeared in 1970, published by George Braziller Inc. and titled "The Master of Mary of Burgundy." For the price, it gives a fairly decent impression of seeing the real thing. It includes numerous reproductions of stunning miniatures, complete with glowing gold leaf reproductions. Many of the pages shine brilliantly in reflected light. The aesthetically afflicted will develop a deeply personal appreciation for the "like a moth to the flame" cliché. It also closely approximates the historically authentic size of such a book. Most were quite small and meant to carry on one's person as a kind of portable devotional. This book will fit in most pockets. Readers can then pick up this small book and turn to two parallel pages that include reproductions and get a fairly good idea of the experience of looking upon these amazing artworks at a reasonable cost. Addiction may soon follow, along with a pulsating desire to acquire more, and possibly more expensive, examples.One caveat. This book does not reproduce any Book of Hours in its entirety. It only presents select samples. The title may also prove misleading as it names an anonymous artist, not a singular work or book. With one exception, this book does not reproduce the famous "Hours of Mary of Burgundy," also known as the "Vienna Hours." The vast majority of the reproductions instead come from the "Book of Hours of Engelbert of Nassau," also attributed to the anonymous "Master of Mary of Burgundy." The first miniature is the highly acclaimed and influential depiction of Mary of Burgundy from the Vienna Hours at devotion in front of an open window showing a scene from an unearthly cathedral. After that, the images turn to the Hours of Engelbert, including the calendar, various prayers, Hours of the Cross, a "sequence of hawking scenes," Hours of the Virgin, various Psalms, the litany, office of the dead, and a final "grotesque tournament."Text accompanies the images throughout. An introduction gives background information on the anonymous "Master" artist attributed to the included works and the provenance of the Hours of Engelbert manuscript. A date for its creation remains vague, but it likely falls somewhere within the 1470s or 1480s. Each section also includes explanatory text on the artwork, some history and indications of erasure and overpainting in the pieces. For example, the arms of Philip the Fair appear painted over those of a previous owner, possibly Engelbert's, in various places. The book also uses "dentelle" or lacework binding resembling that of the original. The text also often appears in parallel with a reproduced page, which dampens the historical effect in places, but many images do appear side by side.Highlights include the sumptuous portrayal of peacock feathers in the borders for the Hours of the Virgin scenes featuring the her meeting with the Archangel Gabriel and her ensuing hike to tell her cousin Elizabeth the news of the coming Messiah. Grisly skulls line shelves for the office of the dead. Insects and birds perch on the highly detailed flowers in many of the borders. In one case a snail slithers among acanthus fronds. Scrutiny of the borders will reveal many mysteries. Rows of seashells frame the Vespers page for the Hours of the Cross. Examples of period pottery and dishware line shelves around pages in Hours of the Virgin. The tournament features a unicorn dressed in a blue robe covered in glowing gold "e's" by a woman assisted by a monkey. A bull rides a goat. A fox bounds into the air wearing a cape. A lion, rabbits and a "wildman" compete with lances. The lion riding the unicorn, likely representing Engelbert, rides off in victory on the tournament's final page. This sequences includes some fantastic whimsical images often associated with the margins of illuminated manuscripts. The artwork throughout is extraordinary.This small collection provides a good Book of Hours experience, especially for those on a budget. The cover even looks impressive, featuring the arms of Paris surrounded by flourishes in enameled silver on blue. A sturdy slipcase houses and protects the small volume. Those looking for a more authentic feeling introduction to the endlessly fascinating topic of Books of Hours or Illuminated Manuscripts will find "The Master of Mary of Burgundy" a good and generally low risk first step.

This is the most captivating book of illuminations I've ever seen. The artist is truly, truly a master. The compositions are tasteful, that is to say beautifully imagined and designed, very skillfully rendered and (I'm surprised to use this term) culturally articulate. I'm thinking, in this context, of the pottery that surrounds two facing-pages illuminations, and one surrounded by jewelry, or the one surrounded by coins. (I tend to be as much interested in the borders - though these are more than simply borders - as the illuminations themselves.) The detail is astonishing at any size, but all the more in this very small format. In fact I first saw the first illumination, "Mary of Burgundy at Her Devotions" in a book about books of hours, a full page color reproduction. I was flabbergasted to see it in its original context and tiny size. Wow! But for all of its ravishing illuminations, I equally love the pages of text with their beeoootiful zen-like depictions of the hunt with, emerging from the script, fanciful cadels and decorative devices dancing on the page, enlivening the words as if their spirits. Oh! Oh! What a most enchanting vision this Master had!I can give myself to this book without restraint because the reproductions, if not perfect, are admirable.Why aren't some of these master illuminators as famous as, say, Picasso or Monet? It seems to me they have a lot more to offer.This book, this artist is a great wonder.

Beautiful. I ordered this to learn a little more about Mary of Burgundy after seeing a video of her tomb in Brugge. It illustrates what her world looked like. Not really info about her, but interesting to think she saw these pages daily.

The book is really quite beautiful. I remember seeing it in book stores many years ago when it was first published, and this copy looks practically new. There are only a couple of tiny flaws that the seller had disclosed in the product description. It is truly in extraordinary shape. It is an amazing bargain at the price I paid!

First, the condition of this book was exactly as described and the packaging was good, so the purchase, shipping and delivery were excellent. The book itself is a good quality facsimile of the original, and if you have a love of illuminated books (even if only in replica form) this is a fine addition to any collection. Very satisfied.

The binding, very close to that of the original, is of deep blue, fine leather. The paper is thick and the printing pleasing to read. The contents : 1) a short study like : who ordered the book, when was it realised ? Who did own it ? who was the "master of Mary of Burgundy" ? '; 2) commentaries about each of the plates : style, influences, story told. Only a selection of the miniatures is presented. And the comments are not in a separate book. And last, but not least, some of the reproductions are not "acurate" (?). As if several layers were used to make the image, and one of the layers was slightly misplaced ? The colors are actually fine and one can suppose that they are close to that of the original, even though the richness of gold can only be imagined. But it deserves its **** because, despite all my comments, its very good value for money !If you are looking for a good facsimile, this is not for you. If you want to learn more about the artist and this book, buy it !

It's pretty and its intriguing. I like how the bas de pages tell stories, such as a little story about falconry and then a bizarre little tournament including monkeys and other animals. And the little miniatures are very nice. I think its an enjoyable choice for someone looking for a less expensive book of hours reproduction. Quite a lot of the book is included and the essays discussing the original are interesting and clear.

Cute little book, but a bit not what I was looking for. However, the Seller is super responsive and addressed all my concerns almost immediately. Fast shipping too.