🎨 The Book of Hours of Charles of Angoulême (c. 1485, France) - Bibliothèque nationale de France

The Book of Hours of Charles of Angoulême is an exceptional display of originality, creativity. This medieval illuminated manuscript is undeniably Robinet Testard’s most personal work. This illuminated book of Hours was commissioned for Charles, Count of Angoulême (father of Francis I of France) Discover it 👉 Testard, one of France’s most creative painters, drew upon his boundless imagination to create a totally novel work. The calendar scenes on the opening pages are surprisingly original. Testard also portrays exotic landscapes, botanical elements, an acrostic featuring animated figures more typical of alphabet books, and even combines mythology and religion in rather peculiar ways. Robinet Testard’s compositions in the Passion cycle are inspired by engraving techniques, and the intense, vivid colours in his paintings bring the scenes alive. And if this manuscript defying prevailing trends was still not original enough, it even features a miniature by Bourdichon (none other than the master of the Great Hours of Anne of Brittany!). 🎁Order a FREE catalogue ► 👀Discover all our “quasi-original“ books ►