The Last Communion and Death of St Jerome - photo 1

The Last Communion and Death of St Jerome

Lot 140
28.01.2025 10:00UTC -05:00
Classic
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CHRISTIE'S
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
ID 1360856
Lot 140 | The Last Communion and Death of St Jerome
Estimate value
$ 4 000 – 6 000
The Last Communion and Death of St Jerome, full-page miniature on a leaf from an illuminated manuscript on vellum [Tours, c.1520]
A striking scene depicting the Last Communion and Death of St Jerome, identical to the scene found in Anne de France's copy of the text at the BnF, illuminated by a follower of the Master of Claude de France.

c.330 x 241mm, by sight; 406 x 327mm, frame. The full-page miniature very likely from a Life of St Jerome (see Illumination below), depicting St Jerome receiving his last communion, the reverse blank. Framed.

Provenance:
(1) Edmond F. Bonaventure (d.1918), bibliophile and rare book dealer: his sale, New York, American Art Association, 8-9 May 1936, lot 377.
(2) Collection of Kate and George Elderkin and by descent to present owner.

Illumination:
The composition is almost identical to f.97v of the Trés saincte vie, mort et miracles du glorieulx sainct Hierosme, Paris, BnF, Français 418, attributed to a follower or imitator of the Master of Claude de France by Roger Wieck (Wieck, Miracles in Miniature. The Art of the Master of Claude de France, exhib. cat., 2014, pp.12 and 82). The Paris manuscript was by commissioned by Anne de France. Illuminated manuscripts of the life, death and miracles of St Jerome were popular at the turn of the 16th century: we know that Louise de Savoie owned a copy illuminated in Paris by Jean Pichore (Paris, BnF, Français 421), while another, illuminated by Étienne Colaud, is now at Brigham Young University (Provo, BYU, Special collections, Harold B. Lee Library, ms. Quarto 091 H 532).

The Master of Claude de France, named after two manuscripts he painted for the queen of France, wife of François I – the Prayerbook (New York, Morgan Library MS M.1166) and Book of Hours (Ramsen, Antiquariat Bibermühle) – and active in the early decades of the 16th century. He worked with an unsurpassed subtlety and delicacy of handling and colour and his miniatures combine a sophisticated naturalism with charm and immediate appeal. Some of the compositions strongly recall Jean Bourdichon, with whom the Master has been thought to have trained. The red chapelet hanging from the architectural frame of the present miniature is a feature used by the Claude Master also found in Books of Hours in San Marino, Huntington Library, MS HM 48 (see f.7) and Paris, Bibliothèque de l'Arsenal, ms.291 (see f.73v). There have been a number of attributions to the Master since the initial identification of his hand: for up-to-date discussions of his development, oeuvre and bibliography see: R. Wieck, Fit for a Queen: The Art of the Master of Claude de France, 2014, and E. König, The Book of Hours of Claude de France, 2012.
Place of origin:France
Auction house category:Medieval & renaissance manuscripts
Address of auction CHRISTIE'S
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