Illuminated leaves by the Master of Rohan
Master of Rohan (active in Troyes, Paris and Angers, between 1410-1440) (and workshop)
The patroness in prayer before the Virgin and Child and the Flight into Egypt, c. 1420-1425
Two illuminated leaves from the so-called Thouroude Hours
Tempera, ink and gold on vellum.
Tempera, ink and gold on vellum.
164 x 123 mm (The patroness in prayer before the Virign and Child) ; 176 x 123 mm (The Flight Into Egypt).
Framed individually (34.5 x 29 cm each).
Framed individually (34.5 x 29 cm each).
Copyright La Gabrielle Fine Arts SA
CHF 17'500.-
Further images
The Master of Rohan is recognized as one of the most remarkable French illuminators of his time. He owes his name to his masterpiece, the Grandes Heures de Rohan, an...
The Master of Rohan is recognized as one of the most remarkable French illuminators of his time. He owes his name to his masterpiece, the Grandes Heures de Rohan, an exceptional Book of Hours probably commissioned by Yolande of Anjou around 1430 (Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, ms. lat. 9471). His unique style and talent have sparked numerous debates among specialists, who have been fascinated by this "eccentric Frenchman with a personal vision" (Sandra Hindman 1988, p. 49). At the dawn of the 15th century, the Master of Rohan is active in Troyes, probably his birthplace. He then moved to Paris, as early as 1415-1420, where he collaborated with leading illuminators such as the Master of Boucicaut. From 1425, onwards, the Master of Rohan worked for the famous René d'Anjou and the House of Anjou.
Our two illuminations come from a well-known Book of Hours named the ex-Boerner manuscript after its presence in a Boerner sale in Leipzig. This Book of Hours was recently renamed Thouroude Hours, in reference to the Thouroude family, for whom the Book of Hours appears to have been made. Extensive research into the provenance of the manuscript has allowed us to trace its history precisely. In 1937, the Book of Hours' seventeen illuminations were dispersed, and some of them are now located, including the Visitation which is preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts of Stockholm. The rediscovery of these two illuminations is significant for the history of French illuminations and testifies to the expressive and inventive style of the Master of Rohan. Our illuminations show great stylistic similarities with other works attributed to this artist, notably the Book of Hours preserved in Cambridge (Harvard University, Houghton Library, ms. Richardson 42), a magnificent Book of Hours attributed to the Master of Rohan and his workshop.
We thank Peter Kidd, Christian Etheridge, and Natale Roman for their help regarding the provenance research.
Sister leaves:
Virgin and Child (ex-fol. 21; current location unknown).
Saint John (ex-fol. 26; current location unknown).
Saint Matthew (ex-fol. 28; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; private collection, 1988).
Saint Luke (ex-fol. 29; current location unknown).
Saint Marc (ex-fol. 31; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Annunciation (ex-fol. 33; current location unknown).
Visitation (ex-fol. 44; Stockholm, National museum, NMB 1906).
Crucifixion (ex-fol. 55; Akron, Bruce Ferrini, in 1988)
Pentecost (ex-fol. 56v; current location unknown).
Nativity (ex-fol. 57v; current location unknown).
Annunciation to the Shepherds (ex-fol. 63v; current location unknown).
Adoration of the Magi (ex-fol. 69v; current location unknown).
Presentation to the Temple (ex-fol. 75; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Coronation of the Virign (ex-fol. 88v; current location unknown).
David (ex-fol. 95; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Death chasing a man (ex-fol. 113; current location unknown).
Our two illuminations come from a well-known Book of Hours named the ex-Boerner manuscript after its presence in a Boerner sale in Leipzig. This Book of Hours was recently renamed Thouroude Hours, in reference to the Thouroude family, for whom the Book of Hours appears to have been made. Extensive research into the provenance of the manuscript has allowed us to trace its history precisely. In 1937, the Book of Hours' seventeen illuminations were dispersed, and some of them are now located, including the Visitation which is preserved at the Museum of Fine Arts of Stockholm. The rediscovery of these two illuminations is significant for the history of French illuminations and testifies to the expressive and inventive style of the Master of Rohan. Our illuminations show great stylistic similarities with other works attributed to this artist, notably the Book of Hours preserved in Cambridge (Harvard University, Houghton Library, ms. Richardson 42), a magnificent Book of Hours attributed to the Master of Rohan and his workshop.
We thank Peter Kidd, Christian Etheridge, and Natale Roman for their help regarding the provenance research.
Sister leaves:
Virgin and Child (ex-fol. 21; current location unknown).
Saint John (ex-fol. 26; current location unknown).
Saint Matthew (ex-fol. 28; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; private collection, 1988).
Saint Luke (ex-fol. 29; current location unknown).
Saint Marc (ex-fol. 31; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Annunciation (ex-fol. 33; current location unknown).
Visitation (ex-fol. 44; Stockholm, National museum, NMB 1906).
Crucifixion (ex-fol. 55; Akron, Bruce Ferrini, in 1988)
Pentecost (ex-fol. 56v; current location unknown).
Nativity (ex-fol. 57v; current location unknown).
Annunciation to the Shepherds (ex-fol. 63v; current location unknown).
Adoration of the Magi (ex-fol. 69v; current location unknown).
Presentation to the Temple (ex-fol. 75; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Coronation of the Virign (ex-fol. 88v; current location unknown).
David (ex-fol. 95; New York, collection Florence Gould; New York, Sotheby's, April 25, 1985, part of lot 90; New Haven, private collection, in 1988).
Death chasing a man (ex-fol. 113; current location unknown).
Provenance
Part of a Book of Hours illuminated in Paris or Angers by the Master of Rohan (and workshop) c. 1420-1425 for the female patroness portrayed on the leaf of the Patroness in prayer before the Virgin and Child, certainly a member of the Thouroude family.Property of the Thouroude family, of Rouen, from the early 16th century to the 18th century.
Leipzig, C. G. Boerner, November 28, 1912, lot 7.
Leipzig, C. G. Boerner, Katalog XXV [1913], lot 9.
France, private collection.
Paris, Me Henri Baudoin auctioneer, November 30, 1925, lot 71.
Broken-up at an unknown date after the above and before the following.
Paris, collection G. Aubry (17 miniatures).
Paris, his sale (anonymously), Hôtel Drouot, February 22, 1937, lots 36 to 52 (the Flight into Egypt was lot 37; the Patroness in prayer before the Virgin and Child was lot 52). The provenance of the two leaves can be traced as follows:
Patroness in prayer before the Virgin and Child:
England, collection of Alfred and Felicie Scharf.
London, Christie's, July 12, 2023, lot 11.
Switzerland, private collection.
Flight into Egypt:
France, private collection.
Paris, Oger-Blanchet, October 27, 2022, lot 376 (as "Nord de la France, vers 1450 ?").
Switzerland, private collection.
Literature
Published in (citing our leaves and/or the Thouroulde Hours)C. G. Boerner, Manuscripte une Miniaturen den XII. bis XVI. Jahrhunderts, Handzeichnungen des XV. bis XVII. Jahrhunderts, Leipzig, 1912, n° 7, p. 6-7-.
C. G. Boerner, Gothische Miniaturmalerei, Katalog XXV, Leipzig, [1913], n° 9, p. 15-17, ill. X.
A. Heimann, "Des Meister der 'Grandes Heures de Rohan' und seine Werkstatt", Städel-Jahrbuch, 1932, p. 12, n. 24.
J. Porcher, The Rohan Book of Hours, New York, 1959, p. 32, n. 11.
M. Meiss, French painting in the time of Jean de Berry. The Limbourgs and their contemporaries, New York, 1974, vol. I, p. 404.
C. Nordenfalk, Bokmålningar från medeltid och renässans i Nationalmusei samlingar: en konstbok från Nationalmuseum, Stockholm, 1979, p. 102.
S. Hindman, Cloister, city and court miniature painting in the later Middle Ages and the Renaissance, Tokyo, Maruzen Co. Ltd., 1988, n° 25.
S. Hindman, Medieval and Renaissance miniature paintings, Akron, Bruce Ferrini Rare Books & London, Sam Fogg Rare Books & Manuscripts, 1988, p. 49, 122.
R. C. Simons, "Rohan workshop Book of Hours: reassessing the models", Gazette des Beaux-Arts, 140, 2002, p. 69-72.
N. Roman, "Paul Durrieu (1855-1925): art collecting and scholarly expertise", in The Pre-Modern Manuscript Trade and its Consequences, ca. 1890-1945, ed. L. Cleaver, D., Magnusson, h. Morcos & A. Rais, Arc Humanities Press, 2024, p. 318-319.