Holding institution title: Poncher Hours
Holding institution classification: Book of Hours
Holding institution location: Los Angeles, CA
URL: https://www.getty.edu/art/collection/objects/255028/master-of-the-chronique-scandaleuse-jean-pichore-master-of-cardinal-bourbon-et-al-poncher-hours-french-about-1500/
URL2: N/A
Digitization status: Partially digitized
Date: 1475 – 1525
Language(s): French, Latin
Use: Paris?
Country of production: France
City or region of production: Paris
Illumination contents: Flagellation, Pietà, Crucifixion, Mass of St. Gregory, Mocking of Christ, The Virgin in a Cloud of Angels with Saints Barbara and Catherine, Annunciation, The Virgin and Child, John on Patmos, Mativity, Presentation at the Temple, Flagellation, Adoration of the Magi, Annunciation to Joseph, Massacre of the Innocents, Christ Carrying the Cross, Temptation of Christ, Baptism of Christ, Virgin and Child, Christ Nailed to the Cross, Raising of Lazarus, Noli me tangere, Mary Spinning Wool, Crucifixion, Anne Teaching the Virgin to Read, Judas Paying Pieces of Silver, Virgo Lactans, Descent from the Cross, Noli me tangere, Coronation of the Virgin, The Entombment, St. Mary Magdalene and the Virgin, David and Bathsheba, David Slaying Goliath, Owner portrait of Denise Poncher before a Vision of Death, Ecce Homo, Pietà, Archangel Michael and the Dragon, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, Sts. Peter and Paul, Jacobus, All Apostles, St. Stephen, St. Lawrence, St. Christopher, St. Sebastian, St. Nicholas, St. Claudius, St. Anthony, Anne Teaching the Virgin to Read, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Catherine, St. Margaret and the Dragon, St. Barbara, St. Apollonia, St. Genovefa, God the Father, Flagellation
Text contents: The Passion according to John, Obsecro te, Prayer: “Ante thronum trinitatis miserorum miserata pia mater pietatis”, Hours of the Virgin, Mass of the Virgin, Gospel Lection from John, Hours of the Cross, Hours of the Holy Spirit, Hours of the Conception of the Virgin, Penitential Psalms, The Passion according to John, Prayer to the Virgin: “Stabat mater dolorosa”, Suffrages, Prayer upon receiving the body of Christ, Prayer to God the Father
Hours intercalated?:
Personalization: “What personalizes this book, which may have been given on the occasion of her wedding, are the many allusions to marriage and motherhood in the selection of specific texts and images, as well as an illustration that includes the bride herself and also a coat of arms combining the Poncher arms with those of her husband, Jean Brosset. The manuscript includes a rare chapter for personal prayer books–the Hours of the Conception–mixed in with the more common Hours of the Virgin, Hours of the Cross, and Hours of the Holy Spirit. The cycle of illuminations begins with a glorious, delicate full-page miniature of the Virgin in a mandorla flanked by saints Barbara and Catherine. Other illuminations in the manuscript refer to the roles of wife and mother, including Mary Spinning Wool, Anne Teaching the Virgin to Read, and The Virgo Lactans. The selection of prayers considered instructive for a young woman is similarly highly thematic, with topics that range from the theological and cardinal virtues to what to say when greeting the king. The manuscript’s texts are written in French and Latin, with some Latin passages punctuated by the personal pronoun ‘tu’ (the familiar ‘you’ in French).”
Scribe: Unknown
Illuminator: Master of the Chronique scandaleuse (French, active about 1493-1510), Jean Pichore (French, died 1521, active about 1490-1521), Master of Cardinal Bourbon (French, about 1480-1500), and Master of Jacques de Besançon (French, active about 1480-1500)
Patron: “Denise Poncher, a young woman from an elite family whose father served as treasurer of wars for the French crown and whose uncle was bishop of Paris”; may have been given on the occasion of here wedding given allusions to marriage and motherhood in texts and images as well as an image that includes the bride and a coat of arms combining the Poncher arms with those of the bride’s husband, Jean Brosset
Materials: Tempera colors, gold, and ink on parchment
Binding original?: No
Binding description: 19th century gold-tooled red leather binding with traces of clasps
Folio height (in centimeters): 13.8
Folio width (in centimeters): 9.8
