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Featured Item

Book of Hours produced in the Workshop of Giovanni Pietro Birago with 13 illuminations.

This gorgeous devotional Book of Hours was crafted in Italy in 1490 and is fresh to the market for the first time in 65 years.

There are 13 illuminations either painted by the famous Italian artist Giovanni Pietro Birago or from his workshop.  The detailed and delicate modelling of the musculature of the St Sebastian here closely echoes that of a David, painted by Birago and now in Baltimore, at the Walters Art Museum.

Beautifully hand scripted and painted over 183 leaves on vellum, this prayer book is covered throughout in gold illuminated initials painted in burgundy, green and blue backgrounds with hairline brushstrokes.

The borders enclose coloured flowers, a pink rabbit, angels and birds. The frontispiece with full border of a gold architectural column and putti holding up a crown, a medieval jewel and an empty coat-of-arms both flanked by putti.

This delightful devotional has been owned by Antonio Zucchi, dated 1844 and then, notably by Rush C. Hawkins a New York lawyer and Union colonel in the American Civil War.

The book was eventually sold in 1958 by Sotheby’s and has been in private hands ever since.

There is now an opportunity for the next owner to purchase a sumptuous and important work of C15th Italian art.

Enquire for more details info@butlerrarebooks.co.uk