Book of Hours, French, 15th century

de Beer MS.02

Special Collections, Central Library

Books of Hours were medieval best-sellers and have survived in relatively high quantity. The central text is the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin, and is often accompanied by the Psalms, a liturgical calendar, and a litany of the Saints, among other texts. They are nearly always illustrated, sometimes including an image of the patron who commissioned and owned the book. Very occasionally the scribes and illuminators are known, but usually they are anonymous, as in this example.