Book of Hours, Use of Rome

Book of Hours, Use of Rome

This precious Book of Hours contains three miniatures painted by the young Liberale di Jacopo, better known by his toponymic, Liberale da Verona (1445–1527/9). Liberale was among the most accomplished painter-illuminators active in Italy in the second half of the fifteenth century. His signal works are the fantastically decorated initials of the choir books of Siena Cathedral, undertaken at the beginning of his career in conjunction with Girolamo da Cremona. The miniatures depicted in this book were produced at the end of the artist’s Sienese period, in the second half of 1475. The book’s later owner, whose name is inscribed on the inside front cover, was sister Artemia Maria Giovanna, daughter of Raffaello di Biagio Piccolomini, baptized 9 September 1525. It is conceivable that Artemia could have inherited the book from her relative, Guid’Antonio di Biagio Piccolomini, who served as ambassador to Pius II (Enea Silvio Piccolomini) in 1462.

Illuminators: Liberale da Verona (miniatures) and Gioacchino de Gigantibus (borders and illuminated initials)

ca. 1475

Manuscript on parchment, 155 fols.

The Free Library of Philadelphia, Lewis E 118

Siena, Italy