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"Obsecro Te" and "O intermerata" prayers to the Virgin. Vostre Book of Hours printed vellum leaf, Paris, circa 1505

 Item — Box: 2, Folder: 2

Scope and Contents

The leaf is from the Prayers section in a Book of Hours. The two prayers are to the Virgin.

Information derived from dealer description.

Dates

  • Creation: circa 1505

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is located at the Loyola Notre Dame Library. Contact Archives and Special Collections for more information. This collection is open for research.

Biographical / Historical

Origin: Paris, France

This leaf is from the transitional period when Books of Hours began to be printed from movable type. To mimic the appearance of manuscript works, they were often printed on vellum, decorated with metal-cut illustrations, and had hand-painted initials added to the printed page.

Simon Vostre (1486-1518) printed and published in Paris at the sign of St. John the Evangelist on the Rue Neuve Notre Dame, the "new street" leading to the great cathedral begun in 1164 by Maurice de Sully, bishop of Paris. The Rue Neuve served as the center of the commercial book trade from its beginnings through to the appearance of print in the late 15th century.

Information derived from dealer description.

Extent

From the Collection: 0.58 Cubic Feet (2 flat boxes)

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

From the Collection: French

From the Collection: Latin

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased from Littera Scripta in 2021.

Physical Description

Size: Leaf: approx. 170x100mm. Text and illuminated area: approx. 150x90mm.

Verso: 23 lines of text in Latin printed on vellum in a Gothic Littera Batarde typeface. Two hand decorated initials in liquid gold on red and blue grounds. Very fine metal cut borders include a "grotesque," a bird, acanthus leaves, and a fanciful column borne on the heads of boys.

Recto: As Verso, but text only and different marginal metal cuts.

Repository Details

Part of the Loyola Notre Dame Library Archives and Special Collections Repository

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