Complete, in remarkable condition, and with a beautiful binding à la dentelle, this Book of Hours is a little gem for several reasons. First, and which is extremely rare, the Book of Hours bears the signature of its scribe as well as the date when he finished writing the present Book of Hours. In an elegant red Italian Rotunda, the scribe left the following words, on fol. 140v: "Deo gracias Amen. Officium beate Marie Virginis et Septem Psalmis Penitentialibus et Officium Defunctorum, Sancti Spiritis et Sancte Crucis cum pluribus orationibus. Acuratissime scriptum per fratrem Johannem Francigenis ordinis minorum. Anno domini M.cccc Lxxxxiiij Die V Martij" [Thanks be to God, Amen. The Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Seven Penitential Psalms, and the Office of the Dead, of the Holy Spirit, and of the Holy Cross, with many prayers. Most accurately written by Brother John of France of the Order of Friars Minor. In the year of our Lord 1494, on the 5th day of March]. Additionally, the Book of Hours features a series of prayers in Italian, reflecting its highly personalized nature. Undoubtedly, this Book of Hours was created for a patron.ess with a particular attachment to the Franciscan movement, which is aligning with a general trend in late 15th century. Finally, the choice of simple and effective, yet richly decorated ornamentations, notably through the generous use of liquid gold, showcases the remarkable scribe’s work that focuses almost more on calligraphy than illumination. This was undoubtedly a choice, illustrating that the manuscript was more precious for its spiritual value rather than its material value.

The scribe, Johannes Francigena, is associated with the Franciscan order and is currently only known through this Book of Hours. His first name (Johannes), very common, and his surname (Francigena), indicating his origin (France), make it challenging to determine if he can be identified with another documented Johannes Francigena. However, there is indeed a mention of a certain Johannes Francigena documented in Rome in 1481 working as a printer. Even though this printer could be our scribe, this identification remains purely hypothetical. It would indeed be unusual to transition from printer to scribe, as the trend at the end of the 15th century was generally the reverse, with printed books quickly surpassing illuminated manuscripts. The French origin of the scribe is also interesting in terms of who originally commissioned this magnificent Book of Hours. Despite the partially erased coat of arms appearing on folio 13, the exact identity of the first owner of the manuscript remains unknown (based on what can still be read, the coat of arms shows: bandé d’argent (?) et de gueules, au chef d’argent (?) chargé d’un meuble effacé et soutenu par une bande de gueules). One hypothesis could link the first owner of our Book of Hours to a member of the Orsini family, lords of Nola and Pitigliano (Italy), known as the Orsini di Nola or Orsini di Pitigliano (their coat of arms: bandé d’argent et de gueules, au chef d’argent chargé d’une rose de gueules boutonnée et soutenue par une bande d’or). Notably, we know that the Orsini family was very close to the Franciscan movement since the 14th century, and it is worth mentioning that Roberto Orsini (1327-1345) built a Franciscan monastery near Napoli. Moreover, this family is related to the Ursins family, well known in France, where the scribe Jean de France might have meet this family (and therefore with the Italian part of that same family). In the 19th century, the Book of Hours came into the hands of an unidentified cardinal (certainly Italian), who left his coat of arms (possibly fantasized) on the large frontispiece, which he had embellished with a richly illuminated full-page with floral border decorations and a Portrait of the Virgin in a medallion.

This precious Book of Hours is further adorned with several initials illuminated by an anonymous Italian (most certainly active in Rome) illuminator. Besides the illuminations of the frontispiece (added in the 19th century), the manuscript contains three large historiated initials and four large decorated initials. All are distinguished by their very vivid typically Italian colors and especially by the thickness of the liquid gold that shines and illuminates both the manuscript itself and the reader. Particularly noteworthy is the beautiful large Annunciation that occupies the letter “D”, itself painted in blue and pink, standing out against a very thick gold background.

Material description
Illuminated manuscript on parchment, Book of Hours (for the use of Rome and Franciscan use), in Latin and Italian, 142 ff. (176 x 122 mm, preceded by two parchment leaves, added, preceded and followed by two paper leaves), complete, fourteen quires, almost all of ten folios (collation: I12, II-XIV10, with catchwords on the last page of each quire), written in black, brown, blue and red ink, with liquid gold, in Littera Rotunda, ruling for 15 lines, one column, with rubrics in red; calendar written in red, blue and black ink and decorated with the initials “KL” (two-line) on each page. 8 miniatures (three large historiated initials, four large decorated initials, and one 19th century frontispiece with illuminated borders on four sides), countless initials of various sizes, decorated with penwork, and five folios with small marginal decorations. Italian binding in green morocco à la dentelle, with numerous gilt-tooled florals ornaments on boards and in compartments of spine, 19th century (flyleaves and marbled paper pastedowns; front and back). On the spine: “UFFICIUM / MARIAE VIRG / MEMBR. MS. / 1494.”.

Text
ff. I-II: Two leaves, added (I: blank, II: 19th century frontispiece with unidentified coat of arms, illuminated borders, and the title Officium pavum Beata Marie Virgins juxta ritu, sancte Romane ecclesie).
ff. 1-12v: Calendar, complete, for the use of Rome and Franciscan use.
ff. 13-61v: Hours of the Virgin, complete, for the use of Rome (matines, fol. 13; laudes, fol. 21; prime, fol. 29; tierce, fol. 32; sexte, fol. 34v; none, fol. 37; vespres, fol. 39v; complies, fol. 44v).
ff. 62-80: Penitential psalms (including litanies, ff. 71v-74v).
ff. 80v-82v: Gospel sequences, according to Saint John (ff. 82-82v are 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 offices, in Italian.
ff. 133v-140v: Prayer, in Latin.
fol. 140v: Explicit, signed and dated by the scribe, Johannes Francigena.

Miniatures
fol. II: 19th century frontispiece with unidentified coat of arms belonging to an Italian cardinal (lower border), illuminated borders on four sides and the portrait of the Virgin in a medallion (upper border).
fol. 13: large 8-line 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, in the lower border.
fol. 39v: large 7-line decorated initial “D” with floral ornaments.
fol. 62: large 8-line historiated initial “D” with King David praying.
fol. 71v: large 7-line decorated initial “K” with floral ornaments.
fol. 83: large 8-line historiated initial “D” with a Hermit holding a rosary, praying to a skull (of Saint Jerome?).
fol. 115: 4-line decorated initial “D” with a Cross in a landscape.
fol. 118: 4-line decorated initial “D” with the Holy Spirit Dove.