First identified in 1925 by art historian Friedrich Winkler (1888-1965) based on the manuscript that gives the artist his nickname, the magnificent copy of the Roman de la Rose held in Vienna (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, cod. 2568), the illuminator was initially confused with a Flemish artist. He was subsequently compared to Jean Fouquet and then to Barthélemy d'Eyck, before being judiciously associated with artists active at the court of Amadeus VIII in Savoy. It was in 1993 that specialist François Avril definitively situated this artist's activity in Lyon and enriched his corpus with several works that allow for a clearer understanding of a unique personality active in a then little-known artistic center. The Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose developed a personal and recognizable style: in his youth period, the illuminator is defined by a fine brushstroke and a remarkable meticulousness of treatment that finds its best example in the Roman de la Rose copy in the Austrian National Library. Having come into contact with the formulas of the Flemish Primitives, particularly Barthélemy d'Eyck, the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose's style evolved and is characterized, in his last phase of activity, by a more pointillist application and softer modeling. The Eyckian contribution to the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose's work is clearly perceptible, for example, in the beautiful figure he painted in the Collection of astrological texts (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, ms. lat. 7321), while his softer, somewhat blurred brushwork, can be illustrated by the Collection of poetic texts preserved in Berlin (Kupferstichkabinett, ms. 78 C 7).

Recently studied by Mireia Castaño, who published the first monograph dedicated to the artist (see Published in), the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose emerges as one the rare and best representatives of illumination from the mid-15th century in Lyon. The artist's style is related to the influences that circulated through commercial exchanges, following the natural axis of the Rhône. This current originated from Avignon and traveled up the Rhône toward Lyon and Geneva. The formulas of artists active in Provence, including the famous Barthélemy d'Eyck, reached the city of Lyon, where the Master of the Vienna roman de la Rose absorbed them. His style, in turn, influenced the city of Geneva and its surroundings, finding echoes among Savoyard artists such as Jean Bapteur or the Master of Foljambe. Thanks to the economic growth in Lyon around 1460, notably due to the important fairs held there, numerous patrons (and artists?) traveled there; thus, the influence of Jean Fouquet and his followers can be found in the late works of the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose. Moreover, under the artistic personality of the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose most certainly lies the historical figure of Jean Hortart ("Janin l'enlumineur, dit d'Écosse"), who was paid in 1463 to illuminate the copy of the Book of King modus and Queen Racio now in New York (Pierpont Morgan Library, ms. M. 820). To create this manuscript, Jean Hortart was assisted by Jean Juys ("Jehan de Juys"), an artist documented in Lyon between 1412 and 1465 who is, perhaps, the author of the Chess Players stained glass window preserved at the Cluny Museum in Paris (Cl. 23422).

Published in the artist's catalogue raisonné (see Published in), the present Saint Luke comes from an identified Book of Hours particularly interesting as it could be one of the only witnesses of the master's activity in Valence, and more broadly one of the rare traces of manuscripts production in Valence. Last appearing in 1990 at Sotheby's, the Book of Hours (already incomplete) contained fifteen illuminations (see Provenance and Sister leaves). The Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose (Jean Hortart) painted the three evangelists, while an anonymous artist from Lyon was responsible for painting the twelve other illuminations. Our Saint Luke shows all the stylistic characteristics that define the last years of activity of the Master of the Vienne Roman de la Rose (Jean Hortart): volumes are rendered through the accumulation of small dots and careful treatment of shadows and lights, which minutely model the saint's face. The quick brushstroke, the vaporous aspect and morphological characteristics of Saint Luke compare particularly well with the paintings the Master created in two Books of Hours, both held in Paris (Bibliothèque nationale de France, ms. nouv. acq. lat. 3112; ms. lat. 1353) and executed, like our miniature, around 1465. With its vivid colors, its remarkable treatment of volumes, and its meticulous rendering of modeling, the miniature at hand is a chaming example of the art of the Master of the Vienna Roman de la Rose, now identified with Jean Hortart. Important artist that sheds light on the manuscripts production in Lyon during the mid-15th century, Jean Hortart is also a unique representative of the Rhodanien current, the fascinating question of the exchanges of stylistic influences following the Rhône, from Geneva to Avignon. 

We thank Dr. Mireia Castaño for her expertise.

Sister leaves
Saint Matthew (ex-fol. 13v): Denton, University of North Texas, Special collections.
Saint Mark (ex-fol. 17v): present location unknown.
Visitation (ex-fol. 28v): present location unknown.
Massacre of the Innocents (ex-fol. 46): present location unknown.
Coronation of the Virgin (ex-fol. 51): present location unknown.
King David (ex-fol. 58v): present location unknown.
Virgin and Child (ex-fol. 86v): present location unknown.
Saint Lawrence (ex-fol. 91v): present location unknown.
Saint Christopher (ex-fol. 92v): present location unknown.
Saint Blaise (ex-fol. 93v): Munich, Hartung & Hartung, November 22, 2005, lot 131.
Saint Anthony (ex-fol. 96v): present location unknown.
Peter of Luxembourg (ex-fol. 97v): Munich, Hartung & Hartung, November 22, 2005, lot 130.
Saint Mary Madgalene (ex-fol. 98v): present location unknown.
Saint Barbara (ex-fol. 99v): Munich, Hartung & Hartung, November 22, 2005, lot 129.