Book of Hours

Master of Guillaume Lambert

1478

Tempera colors, gold paint, and iron gall ink, Tempera Colors, Iron gall ink

J. Paul Getty Museum

The Virgin Mary, dressed in a blue robe, holds the infant Jesus on her lap while seated on a throne. Angels flank them, with two on the left playing a lute and harp, and others standing on the right. This late 15th-century French manuscript is a book of hours, a private devotional text. It exemplifies the artistic style of Eastern France during this period, which notably pioneered the exploration of pictorial depth, interior space, landscape painting, and the interplay with biblical figures. The illuminator, the Master of Guillaume Lambert (active 1475-1485) in Lyon, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, employed a rich color palette to accentuate intricate brocade patterns, realistic human depictions, and graceful draperies and poses. The full-page miniatures reveal his meticulous mindfulness, capturing intricate clothing patterns, facial expr