Follower of the Master of the Lee Hours
The Assumption of the Virgin, historiated initial 'O' on a leaf from an illuminated Antiphonal on vellum [Bruges, c.1450s]
A charming miniature of the Virgin in a mandorlasupported by Angels, painted by a follower of the Master of the Lee Hours, on a leaf from what would have been an imposing illuminated choirbook.

454 x 317mm. 10 lines of text and music on a red 4-line stave, the initial 'O' opening the Feast of the Conception 'Ortus conclusus es dei genitrix', within a full border of scrolling acanthus, with the prophet Hosea in the lower margin holding a scroll 'Sponsabo te michi in sempiternu[m] . Osee ii', rubrics in red, the verso with 3 penwork initials. Mounted.

Illumination:
The miniature with the Assumption of the Virgin is reminiscent of the work of the Master of the Lee Hours (active c.1450-1470), who takes his name from his contribution to a Book of Hours once in the collection of Ronald Lee, originally illuminated for Charles the Bold of Burgundy and his wife Isabelle of Bourbon. His style in turn grows out of that of the artist formerly known as Hand K of the Turin-Milan Hours. The doll-like faces of the Virgin and the Angels in the historiated initial are indebted to the work of the Master of the Beady Eyes (Maitres aux Yeux-Bridés), named for their distinctive manner of delineating eyes with firm dark lines and a beady dot. Similar too is the illumination in the Missal of the Magdalena-godshuis of 1454 (Bruges Grootseminarie ms 48/3).

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