Book of Hours

Chapter 13: Crisis and Renaissance (1340-1492)

The picture to the left is portraying the summer month of June. "This illustration for June in a Book of Hours made for the duke of Berry was meant for the contemplation of a nobleman. In the background is a fairy-tale depiction of the duke's palace and the tower of the Gothic church, while in the foreground graceful women rake the hay and well-muscled men swing their scythes." - Pg. 420

The book of Hours, was purchased and commissioned widely by people during the renaissance. They each contained numerous prayers that were to be recited and read at home during the same time the monks chanted their liturgy. The also contained highly detailed calendars, that had illustrations of seasons as shown above. These images typically showcased the different chores or labors preformed during that time of year. Since it was a Christian book, it also placed importance on the ultimate sacrifice and suffering endured by Christ during his lifetime.

The Book of Hours made Christian prayer pivotal in ordinary home life. These books conglomerate Christian beliefs, and prayers, that when read and practiced at home, allowed for the contemplation of these ideas by individuals instead of as a whole as they had been a church. This happening showcases the beginning of the removal of church and state after the lengthy process of the crusades had taken place.

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