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The Prayer Book of Bonne of Luxembourg, Duchess of Normandy

Attributed to Jean Le Noir French
before 1349
On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 02
The coat of arms that often appears in this book indicates that it was made for Bonne of Luxembourg, a Bohemian princess who married John, duke of Normandy in 1332. She died of plague in 1349; her husband later became John the Good, king of France.

The use of grisaille (shades of grey) for the figures, the richly colored, decorative backgrounds, and the marginal images reflect the influence of Jean Pucelle, the artist of the Hours of Jeanne d’Evreux in The Cloisters collection. This manuscript is likely by Jean Le Noir—an illuminator in the service of John the Good—who collaborated with his daughter, the enlumineresse (female illuminator) Bourgot.

This manuscript apparently passed into the collection of Bonne’s oldest son, Charles V of France, who established a royal library. Her third son, Jean, duc de Berry, was the patron of The Cloisters’ Belles Heures.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: The Prayer Book of Bonne of Luxembourg, Duchess of Normandy
  • Artist: Attributed to Jean Le Noir (French, active 1331–75) , and Workshop
  • Date: before 1349
  • Geography: Made in Paris, France
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: Tempera, grisaille, ink, and gold on vellum
  • Dimensions: Overall (closed): 5 3/16 x 3 13/16 x 1 5/8 in. (13.2 x 9.7 x 4.2 cm)
    Overall (approx. size opened): 5 3/16 x 7 11/16 x 2 13/16 in. (13.2 x 19.5 x 7.1 cm)
    individual folios: 4 15/16 x 3 9/16 in. (12.6 x 9 cm)
    Storage (Book Box): 6 5/16 x 5 3/16 x 2 3/8 in. (16 x 13.2 x 6.1 cm)
  • Classification: Manuscripts and Illuminations
  • Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1969
  • Object Number: 69.86
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

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