Meyer, Carl (1873-1947)
The design concept of this manuscript, both the text and the execution, typify the Parisian 'Horae' tradition of the early 15th century ('Boucicaut-Meister'). The top-level organizational elements in the book's decorative program are seven pages decorated with miniatures; multi-line colorful initials mark the secondary textual divisions. The extremely squared illustrations on the decorated pages include scenes with figures enclosed on three sides by staffs entwined by tendrils with decorative gold, red and blue thorny leaves which completely fill the broad parchment margin. Four lines of text, introduced by a large colorful initial, are inserted between the illustration and the lower decorative staff. The beginning of each of the various offices is marked with such an ornamental page. This book of hours is not only the oldest item in the Carl Meyer collection in the Cantonal Library of Appenzell Ausserrhoden, it is one of its best and most valuable items. It is not know who originally commissioned the manuscript.
Online Since: 05/20/2009
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
This book of hours is patterned after the liturgical format of the Parisian 'Horae'. It differs, however, in its richer, yet qualitatively narrower range of illustrations: each of the Gospel selections is accompanied by a portrait of its author, and the Marian Office by a complete cycle illustrating the childhood of Jesus. The artist's indirect reception of the originals by the well known Paris illuminator, via a series of intermediate steps, displays numerous misunderstandings or intentional revisions. To the modern eye, accustomed to modern aesthetic norms, the shallow fields, bold juxtaposition of colors, and extremely foreshortened perspective used in these illustrations come across as expressive and inventive. The commissioner of the work is unknown.
Online Since: 06/08/2009
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Bamberg, Felix (Former possessor) | Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
The origin of this manuscript in the northern French-Flemish border region can be determined from its liturgical features, its leather binding with stamped designs and the inscription Robiers Plovrins as well as by a comparison with stylistically similar manuscripts. Another book of hours illustrated by the same artist is held at Claremont near Berkeley, California (USA). This exemplar is a somewhat cruder imitation of the style of scribe and book illustrator Jean Markant, who was quite popular around 1500 in Lille. The commissioner of this volume is unknown.
Online Since: 06/08/2009
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
This book of hours with a tall, narrow format is a true pocket book, and the framing of the miniatures with architectural elements, crowned volutes, putti, and garlands displays a definite Renaissance influence. The book is illustrated with 16 full-page illuminations and 21 smaller, simpler miniatures by a different artist. One of the full-page illustrations shows the coat of arms of the person who commissioned the book: he was a certain Michel de Champrond (d. August 1, 1539), Lord of Ollé, Advisor and Paymaster of the King. This would indicate that a well-to-do personage, not of noble birth, but part of the court circle, had an elaborate, richly decorated and partially customized prayer book made by a middle quality manuscript workshop as late as the 1530s, when printed Books of hours were already widely available.
Online Since: 06/08/2009
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
This paper manuscript – a Liber Amicorum for Ladislaus von Törring – contains 49 deptictions of costumes and four of coats-of-arms: all are high quality watercolors and probably all are by the same hand. The costumes mostly show high-ranking persons, mainly from France (Paris), Spain and Veneto. Means of transport, such as ships and carriages, from the same time period are also depicted. Some of the people pictured are identified by captions in French and Italian. Aphorisms and dedications, mostly in Latin, are added on seven pages. The dedicatee is Ladislaus von Törring (1566-1638), Baron in Stein and Pertenstein, Rector of the University of Ingolstadt, a relative of the Bavarian royal family.
Online Since: 03/19/2020
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) | Stuart, Charles (Former possessor) Found in: Standard description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) Found in: Additional description
- Meyer, Carl (Former possessor) | Stuart, Charles (Former possessor) Found in: Additional description