Book of Hours of the Middle Age, Gruel & Engelmann, Paris 1862

"Heures du Moyen Age", book of hours inspired by medieval manuscripts, with beautiful ornaments and figures on each page, in color with gold highlights. This book was designed with the brand new technique of chromolithography, the rendering of which reached a level still unknown at that time.

Published by the house Gruel & Engelmann, specialized in luxury binding, our work is particularly interesting both for the quality of the edition of the pages, and for that of the quality of execution of the binding. The pages are entirely illuminated using this technique.

They have 3 gilded edges, and decorated with small bouquets of lily of the valley flowers and blue flowers.

The binding is decorated on the front with the tetramorph in silver and gold metal, framing a central medallion representing the Holy Supper, itself framed by 4 small enamels with the effigy of the Virgin and Child, St. Sebastian, St. Veronica and St. Francis. A motto underlines this decoration: "Ask and you will receive; Seek and you will find."

The back also presents the tetramorph framing a heart-shaped enamel with the motif of the martyrdom of St. Sebastian decorated with 4 green stone cabochons. The motto on the back changes from the front: "For whoever asks receives, and whoever seeks finds."

Finally, the spine of the book and the two hasps of the clasp are also decorated with painted enamels. Note an accident on the enamel cabochon of the upper hasp.

Paris, 1862. Good general condition, slight wear to the velvet of the binding.

16 cm X 14 cm X 3.5 cm.

A very interesting and very extensive collection from this publishing house is present in the Walter Art Museum in Baltimore, USA.