April Hours

I continue yesterday's Medieval theme with another postcard from the Très Riches Heures (Book of Hours) of the Duc de Berry.  This one portrays April, and the occupants of the castle in all their finery rather than the toilers of the soil. Some scholars have categorised the different hands who created these illustrations for the Van Limburg brothers who produced the book for Duke John.  This April one is "the courtly painter" whereas yesterdays was "the rustic painter". 

The Duc de Berry (1340-1416) was an art lover and rich enough to be a patron of jewellers, goldsmiths and painters. He had a love of collecting illuminated manuscripts such as romances, bibles, psalters and books of hours (prayer books for the layman).  After his death he left a collection of over 150 manuscripts of which 'Les Très Heures du Duc de Berry was the jewel in the crown. It is considered the most beautiful of the illuminated medieval manuscripts and the original is held by the Musée Condé in Chantilly, France.