Decorations Book of hours

a full-page miniature of may, calendar cycle simon bening, 16th century.

as many books of hours richly illuminated, form important record of life in 15th , 16th centuries iconography of medieval christianity. of them decorated jewelled covers, portraits, , heraldic emblems. bound girdle books easy carrying, though few of these or other medieval bindings have survived. luxury books, talbot hours of john talbot, 1st earl of shrewsbury, may include portrait of owner, , in case wife, kneeling in adoration of virgin , child form of donor portrait. in expensive books, miniature cycles showed life of virgin or passion of christ in 8 scenes decorating 8 hours of virgin, , labours of months , signs of zodiac decorating calendar. secular scenes of calendar cycles include many of best known images books of hours, , played important role in history of landscape painting.

from 14th century decorated borders round edges of @ least important pages common in heavily illuminated books, including books of hours. @ beginning of 15th century these still based on foliage designs, , painted on plain background, second half of century coloured or patterned backgrounds images of sorts of objects, used in luxury books.

second-hand books of hours modified new owners, among royalty. after defeating richard iii, henry vii gave richard s book of hours mother, modified include name. heraldry erased or over-painted new owners. many have handwritten annotations, personal additions , marginal notes new owners commissioned new craftsmen include more illustrations or texts. sir thomas lewkenor of trotton hired illustrator add details known lewkenor hours. flyleaves of surviving books include notes of household accounting or records of births , deaths, in manner of later family bibles. owners had collected autographs of notable visitors house. books of hours book in house, , commonly used teach children read, having page alphabet assist this.

towards end of 15th century, printers produced books of hours woodcut illustrations, , book of hours 1 of main works decorated in related metalcut technique.