The Très Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry: The Masterpiece of Medieval Illumination
Edited by Mathieu Deldicque and Pieter Roelofs and Till-Holger Borchert
- Publish Date: September 09, 2025
- Format: Hardcover
- Category: Art - Movements - Medieval
- Publisher: Rizzoli Electa
- Trim Size: 9-1/2 x 12-1/4
- Pages: 416
- US Price: $85.00
- CDN Price: $115.00
- ISBN: 978-0-8478-7597-9
Reviews
“People know only the twelve months, but the rest of the manuscript is incredible . . . there are colors and inventions which are extraordinary . . . there should be a complete reproduction of the manuscript to make people know all the rest, which is really fantastic.” — Umberto Eco
“As a musical creator who looks to other creative, cultural, and historical forces for inspiration, I have found much in the world of illuminated manuscripts, and the inspiration runs deep. It’s remarkable to be reminded of the riches which can emerge and the enduring evidence of the human desire to render them visually stunning. This book, dedicated to the works of Jean, Duke of Berry, brings this too-rare reality to life, casting the reader’s mind full of wonder and curiosity.” — Loreena McKennitt, Canadian singer-composer whose “eclectic Celtic” music has received critical acclaim worldwide
“This book is a multi-faceted study of a jewel of a manuscript. Over a dozen experts in multiple fields examine the man who commissioned it, the artists who illuminated it, the manuscript's history and provenance, and its preservation and restoration. A pleasure to read and to look at, the book is generously illustrated and beautifully printed.” — Roger S. Wieck, Melvin R. Seiden Curator and Department Head of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts at the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City
"One of the most beautiful books ever produced-- the 15th century French illuminates manuscript known as The Tres Riches Heures" -- is now available in sublime reproduction. Its painstakingly painted calendar pages, from the raucous party of January to the hushed hunting scene of December, have more power than any calendar app." — The New York Times
"In 1411, around the age of 70, Jean, Duke of Berry, commissioned an elaborately decorated devotional book—a book of hours, collecting prayers to be recited or sung at lauds (early morning), vespers (sunset), compline (nighttime) and throughout the day. This wasn’t his first livre d’heures. The form was popular in the Middle Ages. Thanks to his noble position—Jean was a son, brother and uncle of French kings—the duke had become a patron of the arts, and he commissioned several books of hours throughout his life. But this one would be Jean’s last. The duke died in 1416, long before the book was finished; so did the three artists he selected for the illumination, all within months of one another. The work, known as the “Très Riches Heures,” would pass through the hands of perhaps a dozen more artists; its completion took more than seven decades. Readers can follow the saga of its creation in “The Très Riches Heures of Jean, Duke of Berry: The Masterpiece of Medieval Illumination” (Rizzoli Electa, 416 pages, $85), edited by Mathieu Deldicque. The duke’s book contains more than 200 folios of accomplished, richly hued naturalism, applied with equal prowess to such images as a bearded, blue-robed God figure scolding a contrite Adam and Eve; golden demons who, with their twisty horns and fur, match the licking, yellow flames of hell; and more earthly matters, for instance, nine hunting dogs swarming a wild boar with relish." — The Wall Street Journal.
Author Bookshelf: Mathieu Deldicque
