Miniature from a Book of Hours with Virgin and Christ Child, c. 1490-1500
Attributed to Jean Poyer and his workshopexpand_more
Tempera and gold on parchmentexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 14.12
Not on Viewexpand_more
One of the earliest drawings to enter the museum’s collection, this miniature was long ago cut from a prayer book illuminated by the Loire Valley artist Jean Poyer and his workshop. The celestial musicians—playing lute, cornamuse, and rebec—indicate that the image likely accompanied a popular prayer to the Virgin, the Obsecro te (I beseech thee).
The beholder of this image was meant to visualize Mary’s love for her infant son, symbolized by the carnation she holds, and also the grief she would endure at his Passion, implied in her sorrowful expression. The artist added intimacy by making Mary disproportionately large and depicting her seated on a cushion, the pose of the Madonna of Humility. He created the effect of a panel painting by giving this tiny work a thin, illusionistic gold frame.
Details
- Title
- Miniature from a Book of Hours with Virgin and Christ Child
- Artist Life
- (Tours), active 1465-1498, died before 1504
- Role
- Manuscript Illuminator
- Accession Number
- 14.12
- Provenance
- Jean Dollfus, Paris (until d.1911; his sale, part 3, Galerie Georges Petit, Paris, April 2, 1912, no. 133, for Fr 2,600, to Sambon); [L. Rosenberg, Paris, until 1914; sold to MIA]
- Catalogue Raisonne
- Hofmann 2004, fig. 248
- Curator Approved
This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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