Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 15653
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Backhouse , Janet.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: A Further Illuminated Devotional Book for the Use of Lady Margaret Beaufort [The author analyzes a recently identified manuscript that was made for Margaret Beaufort in Italy at the order of Giovanni Gigli, an Italian cleric who was made Bishop of Worcester in 1497. The author suggests that the gift commemorated the papal bull in 1494 that sanctioned the observation of the Feast of the Name of Jesus by Margaret Beaufort and others. Title note supplied by Feminae.].
  • Source: Reading Texts and Images: Essays on Medieval and Renaissance Art and Patronage in Honour of Margaret M. Manion.  Edited by Bernard J. Muir.  University of Exeter Press, 2002.  Pages 221 - 235.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Essay
  • Subject (See Also): Beaufort, Margaret, Countess of Richmond and Derby Devotional Literature Holy Name of Jesus Christ, Devotion to Illumination of Manuscripts Lay Piety Manuscripts Manuscripts- Ownership Of Noble Women Women in Religion
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: British Isles;Italy
  • Century: 15
  • Primary Evidence: Manuscript; 1) London, British Library, Add. MS 33772. Written and decorated in Italy, circa 1490-1500. Contains the Office for the Feast of the Name of Jesus and its Octave. Latin verses at the beginning indicate that it was presented to Margaret Beaufort by Giovann
  • Illustrations: Eight figures. Figure One The original illuminated opening page of Gigli's manuscript of the Office of the Name of Jesus, showing Lady Margaret Beaufort kneeling in prayer with her patron St. Margaret standing behind her while a heavenly vision of Christ and his angels appears before the two women (Alnwick Castle, MS 492) (in color). Figure Two Opening page of the mass for the Name of Jesus, Book of Hours (London, British Library, Add. MS 33772, fol. 58v). The author notes that this page displays typical Italian script and decoration. Figure Three Gigli's lines of dedication to Lady Margaret Beaufort, Book of Hours (London, British Library, Add. MS 33772, fol. 2v). Figure Four The current first main page of text in Gigli's manuscript, Book of Hours (London, British Library, Add. MS 33772, fol. 3). Figure Five The original illuminated opening page of Gigli's manuscript of the Office of the Name of Jesus now inserted into MS 492 at Alnwick Castle. See Figure One for further description of the opening page. Figure Six The opening of the Hours of the Virgin in the Flemish body of MS 492 at Alnwick Castle. The author notes that Cotton's heraldry has been inserted in the main initial. Figure Seven Opening miniature, Book of Hours (Alnwick Castle, MS 482). The author notes that the arms on the skirt of the royal lady's robe are for Beaufort impaling Holland. Also the arms of Henry VII appear below the miniature. Figure Eight Miniature introducing the memorial of St. Margaret, Book of Hours (Alnwick Castle, MS 482). Again the arms of Beaufort impaling Holland are on the royal lady's robe.
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  • Year of Publication: 2002.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 0859897133