January (Books of Hours)

A medieval Book of Hours will usually have a set of calendar pages at the very beginning.   In general, each page will have three components:  (1) a depiction of an activity appropriate to the month; (2) a list of the important liturgical feast days for the month; and (3) the sign(s) of the zodiac for the month. 

You can see the January page for the "DaCosta Book of Hours" at the Morgan Library site.  This Book was illuminated by Simon Bening c. 1500.   

You can see these pages in a slightly different format by following this link and this one.   If you follow the links at the bottom of those pages, you'll find additional information about the pages, the book as a whole, and the artist. 

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Another January page appears in the so-called "Hours of Henry VIII," illuminated by Jean Poyer, c. 1500.

The January activities shown here are Feasting and keeping warm. While a heavy snow covers the land, a laborer carries a few logs from the woodpile into the manor. Indoors, the lord of the house sits at his meal, his back to the hearth. His wife, closer to the fire, warms her hands.

Next comes a list of the important liturgical feasts to be observed during January. At the bottom center is Aquarius, the Water Carrier, the main zodiacal sign for the month. Finally, the borders illustrate some of January's major feasts, including, at top left, the Circumcision (feast on January 1).

Comments

[am]

Thanks so much for this at the beginning of 2012. It is good to revisit these illuminations.

Kind wishes always,
am

[Keara]

am, you always say just the right thing. I do love these illuminations and am very pleased that you do as well. :-)