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BOOK OF HOURS
(about 1430-1440)

Ink, tempera, gold, and silver on vellum
French Besançon
Gift of David and Betty Jones 2008.4

This manuscript is a Book of Hours, one of the most popular books of the late Middle Ages. Used by its owner to guide his private devotions, it contains special prayers honoring the Virgin Mary recited at specific times or “hours” of the day, a calendar listing saints’ feast days and other religious holidays, lessons from the Gospels, as well as other special prayers and liturgical texts. Click here to learn more about how this book was made, how it was used, and the meaning of its paintings.(This interactive program is compatible with Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 6 and 7 web browsers.)

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