The Greatest Dutch Manuscript in the World: The Hours of Catherine of Cleves | Collection in Focus

The Hours of Catherine of Cleves is the greatest Dutch illuminated manuscript in the world. Its 157 miniatures are by the gifted Master of Catherine of Cleves (active ca. 1435-60), who is named after this book. The Master of Catherine of Cleves is considered the finest and most original illuminator of the medieval northern Netherlands, and this manuscript is his masterpiece.
The manuscript Catherine commissioned is a prayer book containing an unusually rich series of devotions illustrated with especially elaborate suites of miniatures. The artist's keen sense of observation combined with an interest in everyday objects was a style far ahead of its time (it would come to flower in seventeenth-century Dutch still-life painting). All the miniatures are filled with amazing detail. Narrative was also one of the great talents of the Master of Catherine of Cleves-he could tell a good story. Catherine's codex is also famous for the artist's innovative borders, no two of which are alike.
Listen to Roger S. Wieck, the Melvin R. Seiden Curator and Department Head of Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts at the Morgan Library and Museum share his insights on the hours of Catherine of Cleves.

[@erink1307]

I've recently purchased the 1966 facsimile. It is amazing. Thank you for this video bringing it even more to life for me.

[@ClaudiaSilvaTorres]

Hi there! Your book is a facsimile of the whole or is it a facsimile of 1 of the 3 parts?

[@erink1307]

@@ClaudiaSilvaTorresI'm so happy to have your question. It makes me want to pull it out and study it more- it's so beautiful. Since he says in the video that the full book was not reassembled until 2011 and my facsimile is from 1966, I assume my version is only the parts that were held in the Morgan Library at the time and not the other sections.

[@ClaudiaSilvaTorres]

@@erink1307 oh right, it makes sense. I'm planning on buying this same edition in London next month, but since I don't live there and will not have time to browse because I will be working, I'm trying to understand more about it in advance 😊 even though it's not the complete one, it's so worth it because of its beauty. Thank you so much for your reply!

[@anthonyventura4024]

She is my 16 great grandmother this is so amazing hearing about her history most of my family comes from the Netherlands ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@davidmcnicol5322]

I’m surprised you don’t wear gloves while handling this glorious book??

[@FranciscoPerez-wq4nk]

I was about to comment the same in this space!!!

[@Rooooo11]

fascinating! more please .