Wydon, François, scribe Urfé, Claude d', 1501-1558, former owner La Vallière, Louis César de la Baume Le Blanc, duc de, 1708-1780, former owner Thurlow, Edward Thurlow, Baron, 1731-1806, former owner Johnson, Manuel J. (Manuel John), 1805-1859, former owner Roche Lacarelle, Sosthène, baron de, 1816-1887, former owner Lignerolles, Raoul Léonor L'Homme Dieu du Tranchant, comte de, 1817-1893, former owner Hoe, Robert, 1839-1909, former owner Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery. Manuscript. HM 1102
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Description
ff. 1-85v. [Book of Hours]: f. 1: Title page, in lapidary style in gold letters across the frieze of a temple: "D. Claud Durfe. Reg. Legat. Dicatum"; between the columns in gold square capitals: "Heures de Nostre Dame a l'usaige de Rome escriptes au dict lieu l'an MDXLIX par M. Franc. Wydon et dediees a Messire Claude D'urfe Chevalier de l'ordre du Roy Tres Chrestien et son Ambassadeur au saint siege apostolique"; ff. 1v-2: coat of arms, depiction of an altar and 16 lines of verse; ff. 2v-21: full calendar in French with entries that include ancient Greek and Roman festivities as well as 3 events (in the hand of the scribe) relating to Claude d'Urfé; ff. 21v-28v: pericopes of the Gospels and the Passion according to John [f. 29, blank]; ff. 29v-56: Office of the Virgin, use of Rome; ff. 56v-68: penitential psalms and litany; ff. 68v-79v: Office of the Dead (3 lessons only); ff. 80-82: Short hours of the Cross; ff. 82v-84: Short hours of the Holy Spirit; ff. 84-85v: suffrages of the Trinity, Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, Claude, and a prayer. Book of Hours, use of Rome, written in Rome in 1549 by François Wydon for Claude d'Urfé, ambassador of the King of France to the Holy See. The scribe's name, François Wydon, and the place and date of copying are given in the dedication on f. 1. Span folios: ff. 1-85v. Support: Parchment. Layout: 1⁸(-4, 8) 2⁸(-2, 4) 3⁸(-6) 4-11⁸ 12². 23 long lines, also in the calendar; no ruling visible. Written space, 232 x 155 mm. The main body of the text is in an upright humanistic script. Decoration: 24 almost full page illustrations in bistre. Full borders on every page, consisting of narrow purple bands with silver leafy tendrils; in ovals set within the top and bottom band are landscapes or ruins; in the ovals in the bands on the two sides are blue tendrils on a gold ground; square insets of color at the four corners. Initials, 6- to 2-line, in painted gold on gold-flourished grounds of blue, purple, green, brown, yellow, rose; 1-line initials in painted gold. The full page illustrations in the calendar for the months of February, April, May, June and November have been cut out, with consequent loss of text. Input into Digital Scriptorium by: C. W. Dutschke, 9/10/2009. Cataloged from existing description: C. W. Dutschke with the assistance of R. H. Rouse et al., Guide to Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Huntington Library (San Marino, 1989). Bound in late 18th century French red morocco; marbled endpapers; gilt edges. HM 1102. Huntington Library, San Marino, CA.
Extent
ff. i + i + 85 + i + i : parchment ; 195 x 280 mm.
Written for Claude d'Urfé, ambassador of the King of France to the Holy See; his arms appear on f. 1v, ensigned with the collar of the order of St. Michael (For a history of the d'Urfé library and a list of the surviving books, see A. Vernet, "Les Manuscrits de Claude d'Urfé (1501-1558) au Château de la Bastie," Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres: Comptes-Rendus (1976) 81-97). The d'Urfé library was bought in 1777 by the Duc de La Vallière; his sale, Paris, 1784, vol. 1, n. 317 (catalogue, dated 1783, compiled by Guillaume De Bure; entry for this manuscript carefully copied out on f. i verso) to De Bure; Duquesroy, Paris, 7 March 1803, n. 28. Belonged to Edward Thurlow, 1st Baron Thurlow; his sale, Christie's, 1804, n. 298 to Hume (apparently a nom de guerre to disguise that of J. White of Fleet Street, the bookseller from whom Lord Thurlow had acquired his books originally; see Dibdin, Bibliomania (1842) 448-50, for an account of the sale; John White Catalogue 20 (January 1806) n. 466). Acquired by Jeremiah Harman, and sold by Evans, 20 May 1844, n. 1154. The manuscript was in the collection of Prof. Manuel John Johnson of the Oxford Observatory, when it was seen and described by G. F. Waagen, Treasures of Art in Great Britain (London 1854) 3:116-18; Johnson sale, Sotheby's, 27 May 1862, lot 37 to the dealer Toovey. It appears as property of Stephen Ram in the catalogue of the London bookseller Phillips, 17 December 1862, n. 92; P. Deschamps; Baron S. de la Roche Lacarelle, whose red morocco ex libris is on the front pastedown; his sale, Paris, 1888, n. 21 to Morgand. Belonged to the Count R. de Lignerolles; his sale, Paris, Porquet, 1894, vol. 1, n. 14 to the Marquis d'Albon; the entry from this catalogue is printed by Dorez, op. cit., 49-50; Dorez makes reference to the "Album" of plates for the Lignerolles sale, including one of this manuscript (not available to us). Belonged to Robert Hoe: Bierstadt (1895) p. 34 , with a plate of f. 35; Cat. (1909) pp. 118-20 ; his sale, Anderson, New York, 1912, pt. III, n. 2078, with a plate of f. 56v, to G. D. Smith. Source and date of acquisition by Henry E. Huntington unknown.
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