Masters of Margriet Uutenham
Book of Hours, use of Utrecht, in the Dutch translation of Geert Groote, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Northern Netherlands, Arnhem? c.1460s]
An engaging Book of Hours, written in Dutch, produced by the Augustinian Canonesses of Bethany, with early Dutch provenance.

119 x 85mm. ii (paper) + 200 + ii (paper) leaves, collation: 1⁶, 2⁸, 3⁹(of 10, lacking i), 4-7¹⁰, 8⁹(of 10, lacking v), 9-14¹⁰, 15⁹(of 10, iv a cancelled blank), 16-21¹⁰, 22⁹(of 10, x a cancelled blank), catchwords and quire signatures survive, 17 lines, ruled space: 76 x 50mm, rubrics in red, initials alternately in red or blue throughout, larger initials in blue with red penwork flourishing or in red with purple penwork flourishing, 5 large illuminated initials within full floral borders (lacking two leaves, after ff.13 and 57: one text leaf and one leaf likely with a large initial and border opening the Hours of the Eternal Wisdom, lower margins slightly cropped, some thumbing and occasional smudging, overall in very good condition). Bound in modern olive green levant morocco gilt, gilt edges. Green cloth slip-case and green quarter-morocco box gilt.

Provenance:
(1) The pen flourishing and striking style of the illuminated text pages suggest that the manuscript was written and decorated in Arnhem, probably by the nuns of the convent of Bethany (see Illumination below).

(2) Hendrick van Kranenborch: 16th-century ownership inscription, in Dutch, on f.200v.

(3) Colonel Gerard Fredrick Towlerton Leather (1865-1941): his armorial bookplate on front pastedown, his sale at:

(4) Sotheby's, 10 March 1924, lot 22: clipping from the sale catalogue tipped in.

(5) Victor J. Dowling (1866-1934), prominent jurist, politician and justice of the New York Supreme Court from 1905-1931: his estate sale at the American Art Association - Anderson Galleries, 21-22 March 1935, lot 285: clipping from the sale catalogue loosely inserted.

(6) Gotham Book Mart, 51 W 47th Street, New York: sticker on inside lower cover.

Contents:
Blank f.1; Calendar ff.2-13v; Prayer for the Dead (lacking end) ff.14-14v; Hours of the Virgin, use of Utrecht, in the Dutch translation of Geert Groote, ff.15-57v: matins f.15, lauds f.24v, prime f.33v, terce f.37, sext f.40, none f.43v, vespers f.46v, compline f.52v; Hours of the Eternal Wisdom (lacking opening) ff.58-80; Hours of the Cross ff.80v-106v; Hours of the Holy Spirit ff.107-125v; Seven Penitential Psalms and Litany ff.126-151; Office of the Dead ff.152-193v; Prayers and suffrages ff.193v-199; ruled blank f.200.


Illumination:
The illumination and penwork decoration is associable with the work of the Masters (or Mistresses, strictly speaking, if they are correctly identified with the Augustinian Canonesses of Bethany) of Margriet Uutenham, a group named from Margriet's Book of Hours sold at Sotheby's, 2 December 2002, lot 79 (and on whom see J.H. Marrow, The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Painting, 1990, nos 88-89, pp.250-2). Their activity is documented from 1451, and their style is very distinctive: the playful, beaded, curly penwork flourishing; the hairy tendrils with gold leaf droplets; the droopy geometric flowers (on this see A. Korteweg, Kriezels, aubergines en takkenbossen, 1993, pp.135-136).

Women painters are known to have been active throughout the Netherlands but their work can seldom be identified. The community of Augustinian Canonesses of Bethany supported itself, often by book production, and the present manuscript is a refined and engaging example of their work.

The large penwork or illuminated initials with full borders are on ff. 15, 80v, 107, 126, and 152 (the lower border with the eagle of St John the Evangelist).