Vernacular Illusionism in a 16th Century Book of Hours
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Date
2018-05
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
The Ohio State University's Rare Books and Manuscripts Library houses a manuscript Book of Hours (MS.MR.10) that at first appears conventional. The picture cycle it holds follows the life of Christ and the Virgin, and it features a calendar, the Obsecro Te, the Penitential Psalms, and the Office of the Dead. It is not until one has access to MS.MR.10's imagery and its provenance that one realizes the codex is not wholly standard; while its subject matter is typical, its style is intriguing. Conspicuous shadows back divine figures and some subtly interact with their frames in its miniatures. But these attempts at illusionism are contradicted by the rudimentary nature in which the figures and scenes have been painted. Dated to 1540, MS.MR.10 is quite late for a manuscript Book of Hours, especially one that contains a mixture of medievalizing elements and attempts at more modern illusionistic techniques. In this essay, I argue that the codex's imagery, particularly a miniature of the Madonna and Child, presents a kind of 'vernacular illusionism,' where elite illuminating styles have been imitated by a less-skilled practitioner, creating an interesting mix of ambitious visual strategies with rough execution. After briefly describing the manuscript's material condition and contents, I will explore this unique blend through an examination of its most interesting image and the visual culture that produced it.
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Keywords
Manuscript Illumination, Book of Hours, Devotional Imagery