Johannes Francigena (French scribe active in Italy, Rome?, late 15th century)
Very rare Book of Hours (use of Rome, Franciscan use), signed and dated by the scribe, March 5, 1494, with eight shinning illuminations, March 5, 1494
Book of Hours (for the use of Rome, and Franciscan); illuminated manuscript on vellum; in Latin and Italian. 142 ff., 176 x 122 mm; complete.
Italian binding in green morocco à la dentelle, with gilt-tooled florals ornaments, 19th century (182 x 131 mm).
Italian binding in green morocco à la dentelle, with gilt-tooled florals ornaments, 19th century (182 x 131 mm).
signed and dated, fol. 140v: "per fr[atr]em Joh[an]em Francigen[is] ordi[ni]s mi[n]or[um]... Anno do[mini] M° CCCC° LXXXXIIIJ°. Die Va Martij" (by brother John of France of the Order of Friars Minor... March 5, 1494").
CHF 35'000.-
Further images
Book of Hours (use of Rome and Franciscan use), complete; illuminated manuscript on parchment; in Latin and Italian. 142 ff., preceded by two parchment leaves, added, preceded and followed by...
Book of Hours (use of Rome and Franciscan use), complete; illuminated manuscript on parchment; in Latin and Italian. 142 ff., preceded by two parchment leaves, added, preceded and followed by two paper leaves; calligraphy Littera rotunda, black, brown, blue and red ink, liquid gold; one column, ruled for 15 lines; 8 illuminations, 5 folios with small marginal decorations. Italian binding in green morocco à la dentelle, 19th century.
Complete, in remarkable condition, and bound in a superb binding à la dentelle, this Book of Hours is a true treasure for several reasons. First, and this is exceptionally rare, it contains the signature of its scribe: "per fr[atr]em Joh[an]em Francigen[is] ordi[ni]s mi[n]or[um]" (by brother John of France, of the Order of Friars Minor), as well as the date of completion, March 5, 1494 ("anno do[mini] M° CCCC° LXXXXIIIJ°. Die Va Martij"). Furthermore, this beautiful Book of Hours contains a unique series of prayers written in Italian, revealing a highly personalized character, likely intended of a patron.ess attached to the Franciscan movement. This trend in late 15th century Italy reflects the growing role of Franciscans as spiritual advisors for laypeople. Finally, the Book of Hours is characterized by a simple yet richly abundant decoration in liquid gold. The work of the scribe, extremely delicate, seems almost to surpass that of the illuminator, highlighting the spiritual rather than material importance of this manuscript.
The scribe, John of France, is only known through this Book of Hours. Although his first name, Johannes, is common, and his surname, Francigena, indicates his origin, it is difficult to definitively identify him with another documented Johannes Francigena. A printer of the same name, recorded in Rome in 1481, could be the same person, but this remains hypothetical, especially since it would be unusual to transition from printer to scribe at the end of the 15th century.
The French origin of the scribe is intriguing concerning the original patron of the Book of Hours. Although the partially erased coat of arms appears on fol. 13, the exact identity of the first owner remains unknown. One hypothesis suggests that it might belong to the Orsini family, lords of Nola and Pitigliano, whose coat of arms resembles those faintly discerned on fol. 13. This family is connected to the Ursins, known in France, which could explain the connection between the scribe and this family. In the 19th century, the Book of Hours passed to an unidentified Italian cardinal, who added his coat of arms in the frontispiece and had the manuscript embellished with a beautiful floral illumination and a Portrait of the Virgin in a medallion. The Book of Hours features several exquisite illuminations, painted by an Italian artist, likely Roman. The manuscript contains three large historiated initials and four decorated ones, all with vivid colors and a thick application of liquid gold.
TEXT
ff. I-II: two parchment leaves, added (I: blank, II: 19th century frontispiece with illuminations and title "Officium parvum Beata Mariae Virginis juxta ritu, sancte Romanae ecclesiae)
f. 1-12v: Calendar, complete, for the Franciscan use of Rome
f. 13-61v: Hours of the Virgin, complete, for the use of Rome (matines, f. 13; laudes, f. 21; prime, f. 29; tierce, f. 32; sexte, f. 34v; none, f. 37; vespres, f. 39v; compline, f. 44v)
ff. 62-80: Penitential psalms (including litanies, ff. 71v-74v)
ff. 80v-81v: Gospel sequences, according to saint John
ff. 82-82v: Blank
ff. 83-114v: Office of the dead
ff. 115-117v: Hours of the Cross
ff. 118-120v: Hours of the Holy Spirit
ff. 120v-133v: Prayers and office, in Italian
ff. 133v-140v: Prayer, in Latin
ff. 140v: Explicit, signed and dated by the scribe, Johannes Francigena
ILLUMINATIONS
fol. II: 19th century frontispiece with unidentified coat of arms belonging to an Italian cardinal, illuminated borders on four sides and the Portrait of the Virgin in a medallion
f. 13: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with the Annunciation and a putto holding the initial, and two putti holding the large coat of arms (partially erased), perhaps of a member of the Orsini family
f. 39v: large 7-lines decorated initial "D" with floral ornaments
f. 62: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with King David praying to God
fol. 71v: large 7-lines decorated initial "K" with floral ornaments
fol. 83: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with a Hermit holding a rosary and praying to a skull (maybe of Saint Jerome?)
fol. 115: 4-lines decorated initial "D" with a Cross in a landscape
fol. 118: 4-lines decorated initial "D" with the Dove of the Holy Spirit
Complete, in remarkable condition, and bound in a superb binding à la dentelle, this Book of Hours is a true treasure for several reasons. First, and this is exceptionally rare, it contains the signature of its scribe: "per fr[atr]em Joh[an]em Francigen[is] ordi[ni]s mi[n]or[um]" (by brother John of France, of the Order of Friars Minor), as well as the date of completion, March 5, 1494 ("anno do[mini] M° CCCC° LXXXXIIIJ°. Die Va Martij"). Furthermore, this beautiful Book of Hours contains a unique series of prayers written in Italian, revealing a highly personalized character, likely intended of a patron.ess attached to the Franciscan movement. This trend in late 15th century Italy reflects the growing role of Franciscans as spiritual advisors for laypeople. Finally, the Book of Hours is characterized by a simple yet richly abundant decoration in liquid gold. The work of the scribe, extremely delicate, seems almost to surpass that of the illuminator, highlighting the spiritual rather than material importance of this manuscript.
The scribe, John of France, is only known through this Book of Hours. Although his first name, Johannes, is common, and his surname, Francigena, indicates his origin, it is difficult to definitively identify him with another documented Johannes Francigena. A printer of the same name, recorded in Rome in 1481, could be the same person, but this remains hypothetical, especially since it would be unusual to transition from printer to scribe at the end of the 15th century.
The French origin of the scribe is intriguing concerning the original patron of the Book of Hours. Although the partially erased coat of arms appears on fol. 13, the exact identity of the first owner remains unknown. One hypothesis suggests that it might belong to the Orsini family, lords of Nola and Pitigliano, whose coat of arms resembles those faintly discerned on fol. 13. This family is connected to the Ursins, known in France, which could explain the connection between the scribe and this family. In the 19th century, the Book of Hours passed to an unidentified Italian cardinal, who added his coat of arms in the frontispiece and had the manuscript embellished with a beautiful floral illumination and a Portrait of the Virgin in a medallion. The Book of Hours features several exquisite illuminations, painted by an Italian artist, likely Roman. The manuscript contains three large historiated initials and four decorated ones, all with vivid colors and a thick application of liquid gold.
TEXT
ff. I-II: two parchment leaves, added (I: blank, II: 19th century frontispiece with illuminations and title "Officium parvum Beata Mariae Virginis juxta ritu, sancte Romanae ecclesiae)
f. 1-12v: Calendar, complete, for the Franciscan use of Rome
f. 13-61v: Hours of the Virgin, complete, for the use of Rome (matines, f. 13; laudes, f. 21; prime, f. 29; tierce, f. 32; sexte, f. 34v; none, f. 37; vespres, f. 39v; compline, f. 44v)
ff. 62-80: Penitential psalms (including litanies, ff. 71v-74v)
ff. 80v-81v: Gospel sequences, according to saint John
ff. 82-82v: Blank
ff. 83-114v: Office of the dead
ff. 115-117v: Hours of the Cross
ff. 118-120v: Hours of the Holy Spirit
ff. 120v-133v: Prayers and office, in Italian
ff. 133v-140v: Prayer, in Latin
ff. 140v: Explicit, signed and dated by the scribe, Johannes Francigena
ILLUMINATIONS
fol. II: 19th century frontispiece with unidentified coat of arms belonging to an Italian cardinal, illuminated borders on four sides and the Portrait of the Virgin in a medallion
f. 13: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with the Annunciation and a putto holding the initial, and two putti holding the large coat of arms (partially erased), perhaps of a member of the Orsini family
f. 39v: large 7-lines decorated initial "D" with floral ornaments
f. 62: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with King David praying to God
fol. 71v: large 7-lines decorated initial "K" with floral ornaments
fol. 83: large 8-lines historiated initial "D" with a Hermit holding a rosary and praying to a skull (maybe of Saint Jerome?)
fol. 115: 4-lines decorated initial "D" with a Cross in a landscape
fol. 118: 4-lines decorated initial "D" with the Dove of the Holy Spirit
Provenance
Written in Italy (probably Rome), "per fr[atr]em Joh[an]em Francigen[is] ordi[ni]s mi[n]or[um]... Anno do[mini] M° CCCC° LXXXXIIIJ°. Die Va Martij" ("by brother John of France of the Order of Friars Minor... March 5, 1494") and illuminated by an anonymous Italian (Roman?) artist.The original patron.ess remains unidentified (we mention the hypothesis that the coat of arms appearing on fol. 13, partially erased, could belong to a member of the Orsini family, lords of Nola and Pitigliano, which is related to the Ursins family, well known in France).
At an undetermined moment in the 19th century, the Book of Hours was property of an unidentified cardinal, whose coat of arms (if not invented) appears on the frontispiece.
Private collection, MS. VII (according to a label glued on the spine of the binding).
European private collection.
Switzerland, Dr Jörn Günther Rare Books AG.
Literature
FURTHER READINGSC. A. de la Serna Santander, Dictionnaire bibliographique choisi du quinzième siècle, ou Description, par ordre alphabétique, des éditions les plus rares et les plus recherchées du quinzième siècle, Brussels, 1805.
F. Amati, Ricerche storico-critico-scientifiche sulle origini: Tipografia del secolo V, Milano, 1830.
P. Toesca, Monumenti e Studi per la Storia della Miniatura Italiana, Milano, 1930.
P. Ramenstetter, "Introduction to a Franciscan spirituality", Franciscan Studies, 1942 (2).
S. J. P. van Dijk, "Some manuscripts of the earliest Franciscan liturgy", Franciscan studies, 1956 (14).
J. J. Alexander, Italian Renaissance Illumination, New York, 1977.
P. Hutton, Franciscan Books of Hours from Italy in the Newberry Library, Chicago, 2011.
F. Manzari, "Italian Books of Hours and prayersbooks in the Fourteenth Century", in Book os Hours Reconsidered, ed. S. Hindman & J. Marrow, London & Turnhout, 2013.
G. Freuler, Italina miniatures from the twelfth to the sixteenth century, 2 vol., Cinisello Balsamo, 2013.
J. J. Alexander & J. Graham, La miniatura italiana del Rinascimento: 1450-1600, Turino, 2020.