Accession number
MS M.1222.1-2
Object title
Two leaves from a Book of Hours.
Created
Belgium, early 15th century
Credit line
Gift of William M. Voelkle in honor of James H. Marrow, 2021.
Description
2 folios (a separated bifolio) : vellum, matted ; 167 x 117mm (6 1/2 x 4 1/2 inches)
Provenance
Philip C. Duschnes; by inheritance, Fanny Duschnes; acquired by William M. Voelkle, 30 April 1981; gifted to the Morgan Library & Museum.
Notes
Bifolio from a Book of Hours, with Veronica and the Face of Christ and prayer to the Holy Face.
Liturgy: Hours, Prayer, Salve sancta facies.
On fol. 2r: prayer to the Holy Face beginning with "Salve sancta facies."
Decoration: 1 full-page miniature (1v): Veronica holding the sudarium with an image of a darkened face of Christ; 1 illuminated initial (2r).
Full-page miniature of Veronica, wearing a blue veil, holding a white cloth (the sudarium) with an oversized dark face of Christ, with a golden halo, the full scene framed on 3 sides with red and golden bands; sparse and simplified floriated ornaments framing the whole composition.
The iconography of the Veronica seen here is comparable to other fifteenth-century miniature compositions (including MS M.1020, fol. 32r). The dark face of Christ (or "volto santo") used in these manuscript illuminations was also used in certain pilgrimage tokens. Examples of this former use can be seen on MSS M.1221.1-3, tokens that were also made in the early fifteenth century, likely in Belgium or France.
MS M.1222.2 contains a prose rendition of the hymn "Salve sancta facies," whose composition dates to the papacy of John XXII (1316-1334); the text is missing eight of the original forty-eight verses (the last line on MS M.1222.2v reads: "celitus qui in te splendescit. In").
Liturgy: Hours, Prayer, Salve sancta facies.
On fol. 2r: prayer to the Holy Face beginning with "Salve sancta facies."
Decoration: 1 full-page miniature (1v): Veronica holding the sudarium with an image of a darkened face of Christ; 1 illuminated initial (2r).
Full-page miniature of Veronica, wearing a blue veil, holding a white cloth (the sudarium) with an oversized dark face of Christ, with a golden halo, the full scene framed on 3 sides with red and golden bands; sparse and simplified floriated ornaments framing the whole composition.
The iconography of the Veronica seen here is comparable to other fifteenth-century miniature compositions (including MS M.1020, fol. 32r). The dark face of Christ (or "volto santo") used in these manuscript illuminations was also used in certain pilgrimage tokens. Examples of this former use can be seen on MSS M.1221.1-3, tokens that were also made in the early fifteenth century, likely in Belgium or France.
MS M.1222.2 contains a prose rendition of the hymn "Salve sancta facies," whose composition dates to the papacy of John XXII (1316-1334); the text is missing eight of the original forty-eight verses (the last line on MS M.1222.2v reads: "celitus qui in te splendescit. In").
Script
textura
Language
Latin
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department