Tag Archives: Duc de Berry

are we playing in the same brand?

Watercolor paper is still apparently made much the way it has been since Duke of Berry let the ladies of the palace engage in the visual arts. That is, since Medieval times. Its mulched, pressed and literally hung out to … Continue reading

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the black plague: groaning in sympathy

The Black Death came out of Central Asia killing one third of the European population. And among the survivors a new skepticism arose about life and God and human authority. Most fourteenth-century people regarded their doctor with tolerance and respect … Continue reading

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Attics of their mind

Painters across the centuries, the millennia, have always conjured out of their imaginations, fantastic towers and cities which do not exist. Sometimes a product of the subconscious, and sometimes a liberal artistic freedom, these artists created a dream architecture of … Continue reading

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belles heures:piety for the privileged

…Even the Church was in trouble: it was rumored that not one soul had entered paradise since the Great Schism began. Outbreaks of the plague were common, taxes were high, and political stability unknown. In such a world, a beautiful … Continue reading

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LOOKING AT THE PICTURES IN THE PEWS

“In its dissected form, the Belles Heures is an immersive look at life, death and devotion in 15th-century France. Its seven picture-book insertions distinguish it from other books of hours and amount to a remarkable cache of well-preserved medieval painting. … Continue reading

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KNIGHTY-NIGHT TO THE ART-RISTOCRATS

The latter years of the fourteenth-century and the early years of the fifteenth were the grimmest period in French history. Between the Black Death, the everlasting war with England, plundering raids, taxies and levies; circumstances conspired to  reduce the voice … Continue reading

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PROVOKE THE OSTENTATIONS OF THE RICH

The great masters of the Books of Hours were three brothers, Pol, John and Herman, from Limbourg, in the Netherlands. After serving an apprenticeship in Paris they entered the employ of the Duc de Berry. Their masterpiece is the ”Tres … Continue reading

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