Customer Reviews

Books of Hours (Phaidon Miniature Editions)

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A very small book containing 85 color plates of miniatures culled from various books of hours. The plates are reproduced at or near their original size, giving an idea of just how truly small most of these pictures actually are.

The plates come from the best manuscripts owned by several museums. Most of the art is Franco-Flemish from 1475-1525, but there are a few earlier works and/or Italian works represented, as well.

There is very little text. This book is intended, I believe, to provide just enough information to pique the curious. The art is splendid, though, and a better, more portable visual reference could not be found. I liked this book so much that I bought two copies; one to use as a reference when painting, and another to just enjoy perusing.

Lovely tiny book with absolutely gorgeous illustrations from real medieval books of hours, with jewel tones and lovely compositions. The binding should be different to allow it to more easily open fully.

I'm an art student, and we often study books of hours, but it's always just slides, so we don't get to hold an example. This little book is a wonderful example of the actual books of hours from this time period. It really gives you an appreciation for the craftsmanship of the artists; the intricate detail is so delicate and tiny, and it's clearly printed in this book. I highly recommend it!

I have found this book to be an extraordinay value. For a pittance it is filled with gorgeous, albeit tiny, reproductions of high quality and great beauty. While the text is minimal, the content is maximal, outlinging the structures and purposes of Books of Hours, with rigorous concise-ness. It is a treasure and a fantastic introduction including notes on stellar works that can be explored further through the collections that own them. Can't recommend it enough for artists seeking visual reference material and source notations. The tiny scale makes it fantastic portable inspiration! I purchased several larger, academic tomes on related topics at the same time but this little gem is my favorite (so far).

In this tiny book are brought together a limited choice of the most exquisite medieval miniatures from 1230 ( artist William de Brailes ) until 1522. Other important artists are Jan Van Eyck, Jean Fouquet, and Simon Bening.

Of course in large manuscripts most of the illuminations could hardly be called miniatures but were full blown paintings, so to speak, with their own set of aesthetic rules. The format of the Books of Hours are ideal to study miniatures. You will find in this little book ( approximate the same size as the miniatures included ) an amazing collection of breathtaking miniatures with very vivid and beautiful colors. It's eye candy, I agree, but that made the Books of Hours popular in the Middle Ages. Let's face it, the success of the Catholic Church in the Middle Ages depended - for a substantial part - upon the cultural wealth that was displayed in churches and cathedrals, in the Vatican and its sumptuous Library, and in the Books of hours with their initials decorated with burnished gold.

Indeed, you could say that the luminous colors of the miniatures in this collection are making the Dark Ages less dark.

Although this is literally a miniature publication from Phaidon, it truly encompasses the character of the Book of Hours. Historically, these were popular items, especially among pious woman to "show off" their devotion to God. The illustrations are just beautiful and so intricate. This is a true gem. A compact way to view illuminated manuscript.

This small book (about 3"x 4") is full of beautiful, tiny detailed drawings, one after the other with some small explanation entered intermittently, and a full index with descriptions of each plate in the back. Each time you go through it, new details emerge.
A great little coffee table book or one for anyone who appreciates midieval art.