An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Hours of Queen Isabella the Catholic, Queen of Spainc. 1500
Master of the First Prayerbook of Maximillian
Alexander Bening has been presumed to be the same artist formerly know under the sobriquet, "Master of the Older Prayerbook of Maximilian I"
The original owner of this exquisite book of hours was Queen Isabella of Spain, who sponsored Christopher Columbus's exploratory voyage to the Americas. Eventually this book found its way to the New World and was acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art in 1963.
Isabella’s book of hours may have in its margins one of the first depictions of a daffodil in manuscript painting.
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum
Codex: 23.5 x 17.3 x 4.8 cm (9 1/4 x 6 13/16 x 1 7/8 in.)
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
In a time long past, when the air was thick with the scents of adventure and discovery, there lived a remarkable woman: Queen Isabella of Spain. She was not just a monarch; she was a visionary who believed in the power of exploration and the allure of uncharted territories. It was her unwavering spirit and ambition that set the wheels of history in motion, as she famously sponsored Christopher Columbus on his grand voyage to the Americas.
Among her treasures was an exquisite book of hours, a beautifully illuminated manuscript filled with prayers and rituals that guided her days in prayer and reflection. This book was more than just a collection of pages; it was a window into her soul, a companion that whispered wisdom during her quiet moments.
As the winds of fate stirred and Columbus set sail, this very book began a journey of its own. From the cobblestone streets of Spanish palaces to the vast, unspoiled landscapes of the New World, the book traveled through time and space, its presence a testament to a queen's courage and the promise of new horizons.
Years later, in 1963, the whispers of this manuscript reached the shores of Ohio, where it was lovingly acquired by the Cleveland Museum of Art. There, it found a new sanctuary, resting among other cultural treasures, still enchanting those who paused to listen to the stories it held within its gilded pages. A relic of a bygone era, the book of hours now invites us to reflect on the dreams of a queen and the journeys that connect us all through time.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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