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Book of Hours

Simon Bening Netherlandish
ca. 1530–35
On view at The Met Cloisters in Gallery 13
This diminutive Book of Hours is one of Simon Bening’s prayerful jewels, intended for use at regular intervals throughout the twenty-four- hour day (ideally every three hours). It was a reminder of the omnipresence of God, meant to be attached to its owner, or stored with precious possessions. There is a special magic achieved by Bening’s exceptional skill at creating a miniature world. The miniatures follow standard convention, but Bening consistently tweaks the presentation, making this manuscript exceptionally poignant and affecting.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Book of Hours
  • Artist: Simon Bening (Netherlandish, Ghent (?) 1483/84–1561 Bruges)
  • Date: ca. 1530–35
  • Geography: Made in Bruges, present-day Belgium
  • Culture: Netherlandish
  • Medium: Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment; modern red leather binding
  • Dimensions: Manuscript: 2 9/16 × 2 1/16 × 1 1/8 in. (6.5 × 5.2 × 2.9 cm)
    Folio: 2 5/16 × 1 5/8 in. (5.9 × 4.2 cm)
    Illumination only: 1 7/8 × 1 5/16 in. (4.8 × 3.4 cm)
    Text area: 1 7/16 in. × 1 in. (3.6 × 2.6 cm)
  • Classification: Manuscripts and Illuminations
  • Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 2015
  • Object Number: 2015.706
  • Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters

More Artwork

More Artwork
Self-portrait, Simon Bening Netherlandish, Tempera and gold leaf on parchment
Self-portrait
Simon Bening
1558
Manuscript Illumination with Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist, Master of James IV of Scotland (probably Gerard Horenbout) Netherlandish, Tempera, ink, and shell gold on parchment, Netherlandish
Manuscript Illumination with Scenes from the Life of Saint John the Baptist
Master of James IV of Scotland (probably Gerard Horenbout)
ca. 1515
The Cloisters Apocalypse, Tempera, gold, silver, and ink on parchment; later leather binding, French
The Cloisters Apocalypse
French
ca. 1330
The Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry, The Limbourg Brothers Franco-Netherlandish, Tempera, gold, and ink on vellum, French
The Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry
The Limbourg Brothers
1405–1408/1409
Manuscript Leaf with Adoration of the Holy Name, from a Book of Hours, Simon Bening Netherlandish, Tempera, ink and shell gold on parchment, Netherlandish
Manuscript Leaf with Adoration of the Holy Name, from a Book of Hours
Influence of Simon Bening
after 1530 (?)

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