International Gothic Style:
--- by the end of 14th c. the fusion of Italian and
Northern European art had led to the IGS, spread out from
Italy to France and all over Europe.
Book of Hours:
---A prayer book used by laymen for private devotion,
containing certain illusions of hours of the days, days of
weeks, months or seasons.
Illuminated manuscripts:
--- Books written by hand, decorated with paintings and
ornaments of different kinds. There are three main types:
1. Miniature or small pictures
2. Initial letters
3. borders
Les Tres Riches Heures
du Duc de Berry
 What is the Tres Riches Heures?
---the classic example of a medieval book
of hour. A collection the text of each
liturgical hour of the day, often included
Calendars, prayers, psalms, and masses for
certain holy days.
 It’s made between 1412~1416
 It’s equal to the famous work---Mona Lisa,
making the top of the art of manuscript
illumination.
Who painted the Tres Riches
Heures?
 By the Limbourg brothers, Paul, Herman
and Jean. They are Netherlandish
manuscript illuminator, but were generally
referred to as Germans.
 Born in late 1370s or 1380s, three of them
died in 1416, probably caused by plague.
 Two masterpieces: the Belles Heures and
the Tres Riches Heures (unfinished but
completed by Jean Colombe seventy years
later. )
Who’s their patron?
 Jean de Berry, one of the highest and richest
nobles in 15th c. France---his brother were
King Charles V.
 Involved by politic reasons, his property
was attacked several times. (That’s why
most of the Limbourgs’ are ruined and no
longer existed.)
 A collector of chateaux, jewels, works of art
and animals. Besides, a great collection of
astronomical and religious book, and also
15 books of hours.