Hours of Gian Galeazzo Visconti
The Book of Hours of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan, is one of the most beautiful Italian Books of Hours, begun in 1388 by Giovannino de ' Grassi and completed around 1428 because of Belbello Pavia during the reign of the son Filippo Maria Visconti.
Description
The performing artists
The style of the first artist, Giovannino de ' Grassi, is clearly on the illustration above from the Psalter. The image features the beginning of the 11th section of Psalm 119: "My soul longs for your salvation; I hope in your word. My eyes fail for thy word, saying: 'When will you comfort me ' " Above the miniature is a free line, probably intended for a line to the announcement of this section, which was included in the Breviary for the sixth Sunday.
Within the Initial D ( " Defecit in salutari tuo anima mea " ) sits psalmist King David under a canopy and raises his large left hand, like to refer to God the Father, the filled hidden behind the with Coat of Arms lilies, poking spiral frame. Just as well, can be David's gesture as a reference to the text or to be found anywhere coat of arms of the Visconti, the Viper, indicate in the corners of the frame. In the bottom Giangaleazzo appears in profile, posing in a medallion, with deliberate indifference, he looks across the page. At the top is his motto "A droyt ". Also interesting are the gutbeobachteten animals at the foot of the golden trees. Right, a group deer to notice even without the two hunting dogs that have the wild- tracked from the other side of the edge off.
Theme of the second miniature is a creation scene, as an example of the ornate Belbello because of Pavia part. A strictly looking Almighty hovering above a stormy sea full of ships, but the attention is focused on the creation of the birds at the bottom. Many of them are birds of prey, falcons and hawks in pursuit of rabbits. On the floor is one of the most widespread in the animal representation of the Middle Ages motifs, the hawk on a duck next to a peacock and a parrot. The other birds are shown in different stages of the flight. In the upper part they carry the strong crest emblems, angel groups hold decorated with crowns helmets with the crest of the Visconti in the air. On both sides of the Creator is still another Visconti emblem, a pink helmeted lion with springs as a crest sitting in fire and holds two hanging from a pole, bucket. Another decorative accessories Visconti coat of arms of a writhing, a child -devouring serpent in this crowded page is shown five times.
Despite the masterful overall impression of the part Belbellos leaves a disturbing effect, especially by the violent, often cruel scenes from the Old Testament. This cycle with pictures from the Old Testament is in books of hours without precedent. In this context, the family life of the Visconti and the other despots of northern Italy supplied in the course of time an inexhaustible source of dark tragedies.
The marriage of the Virgin