Leaf from an English Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, c. 1420

The Book of Hours was a Christian devotional text used as a prayer book by the general population during the Middle Ages. Many were embellished and featured detailed paintings and drawings.

This leaf from an English Book of Hours, Use of Sarum, features a miniature portrait of the Virgin. The illuminated manuscript is in Latin on parchment and is from England, probably London, c. 1420. A large initial “O” (opening the Obsecro te prayer) encloses a small portrait of the Virgin holding a golden vessel. The leaf contains a single column of 14 lines of a notably spiky English, late Gothic bookhand. Three of the margins contain leaves and foliage.

This item has been digitized and is available in the Digital Repository.