Black Hours, Morgan Library

The Black Book of Hours is a book of hours, which derives its name from the color of its pages. It is one of only a few hours received books that were created in an elaborate and unusual way with blackened sides. It is considered one of the masterpieces of Gothic manuscript illumination and was built around 1475 in Bruges in the context of the book painter Willem Vrelant. It was probably created for a Member of the Court of Burgundy and is now located in New York's Morgan Library, Call Number: 493 M.

The text and the painting of the Black Book of Hours

The Black Book of Hours of the Morgan Library is one of only seven surviving manuscripts with blackened sides, all of which come from the Flemish workshops and from the second half of the 15th century. In complex process the parchment was colored black with either black or like the Black Book of Hours with an iron -copper solution.

It has the dimensions 17 x 12 cm and includes 121 sheet with text and 14 full-page miniatures, 15 large and several small initials and borders 138. The text was written with gold and silver ink and the initials emerald green background. As colors for the illuminations gold leaf, white lead and opaque colors were used. The gold-colored borders are primed in blue.

The Principal of the Black Book of Hours

The Principal of the Black Book of Hours of the Morgan Library is unknown, neither the owner nor character coat of arms are available; it can be assigned to only the perimeter of the Burgundian court of Charles the Bold.

The painter of the Black Book of Hours

The unnamed book artist who has created the Black Book of Hours of the Morgan Library, is called Master of the Black Book of Hours. He came from the circle of Willem Vrelant, illuminated by him compared manuscripts could not be identified so far.

Other Black Books of Hours

The now located in the Morgan Library Black Book of Hours was intended for high-level, bibliophile clients who were mainly found at the court of Burgundy. There are six other examples of likewise difficult to produce with Black Pages Black Books of Hours have received a special category of books of hours, which until 1477 were in fashion at the court of Burgundy during the last years of the Duchy, such as

• Black Hours of Charles the Bold ( Austrian National Library, Vienna, Cod 1856)
• Book of Hours of Mary of Burgundy ( Austrian National Library, Vienna, Cod 1857)

Preservation

The extra thick parchment of the Black Book of Hours of the Morgan Library was attacked by the black color of the iron-copper solution chemically little. Therefore, it is the best preserved specimen of a black handwriting and still attached. Most other black books of hours had bound apart over time and are now conserved between acrylic plates.

Facsimile edition

• Black Book of Hours. Facsimile edition of Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, M. 493 by facsimile Verlag Luzern, Lucerne 2001