Book of Hours from a Vostre edition printed on vellum, Paris, circa 1512
Scope and Contents
The text on both Recto and Verso is a passage from John 18. Recto includes verses 15-28 and Verso verses 28-40.
In the 5th line from the top of Recto, Verse 17 reads Dixit ergo petro ancilla ostaria numquid et tu ex discipulis es hominis istius dicit ille non sum. (The maid therefore was that portress saith to Peter: Art thou not also one of this man's disciples? He saith I am not.)
Verse 27 begins in the third line from the bottom: Iterum negavit petrus et statim gallus cantavit. (Again therefore Peter denied and immediately the cock crew.)
Verse 33 on Verso begins in the 10th line from the top: Introivit ergo iterum in praetorium Pilatus et vocavit lesum et dixit ei tu es rex ludaeorum? (Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus and said to him: Art thou the king of the Jews?)
Information derived from dealer description.
Dates
- Creation: circa 1512
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
Printer: Simon Vostre
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, the finer editions were printed on vellum rather than paper, decorated with metal-cut illustrations and had hand-painted colored initials added to the printed page.
Simon Vostre (1486-1518) printed and published in Paris at the signs of St. John the Evangelist on the Rue Neueve 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.
For his printed Book of Hours, Vostre, together with Philip Pigouchet, designed a series of metal cuts to decorate the borders of the pages. Among them were histories of the saints, biblical figures, even caricatures directed against Churchmen, after the manner of the old sculptors, who thought that sin was rendered more horrible in the garb of a monk. Nestled in the borders amongst acanthus leaves were fantastic animals, birds, "grotesques" (half men, half beasts), and saints piously praying.
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: Approx. 225x140mm. Printed area: approx. 190x115mm.
Verso: Text in Latin printed on vellum in a gothic bâtarde font. Metal cuts include scenes of gatherings of men, dragons, angels, and a Sybil.
Recto: As Verso. Metal cuts include the Cimmerian Sybil, putti, dragons.
Information derived from dealer description.
Repository Details
Part of the Loyola Notre Dame Library Archives and Special Collections Repository