The Limbourg (lam BOOR) brothers were famous Dutch
artists, born
in the late 1300's. The oldest was named Herman, next came Paul, then
Johan (or Jean) with a year or so difference in their ages.
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Their father was a wood carver, or sculptor. He died
when the boys were
about 10-12 years old, and their mother sent them to live with her
brother, their uncle known as Malouel, who was a painter. While they
were in their early teens they were apprenticed to a goldsmith in
Paris.
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Two of the boys were captured and held for ransom when
they tried to
return to their home in Nijmegen (Nigh-may-gun). Their mother didn't
have the money to pay, so Philip the Bold paid the ransom. Shortly
thereafter he made a four year contract with the boys for them to
illustrate a Bible for him.
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Books in those days were rare and costly. They were
one-of-a-kind books
made by hand and illustrated or "illuminated" by beautiful detailed
paintings. The Limbourg brothers became masters of this form of
illuminating.
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When Philip died, the three brothers went to work for
his brother, Jean
de Berry. He wanted them to make paintings for a book called Book
of Hours or Tres Riches Heures. Some say it may be the
most valuable book in the world. The Book of Hours
was a prayer book with prayers especially for certain times such as
seasons of the year, months, and prayers for different days of the week
and various hours of the day. It also contained a calendar.
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On the pages of the book which had words on them, the
scribe, the
person writing the text, would leave a blank space around the text.
Then the artist would richly decorate the borders of each page with
ornate filigree and designs.
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Today the original pages are in a museum in Chantilly
in France, but
people rarely see the original. The museum has copies of the pages on
exhibit for people to see. 980 copies of the Book of Hours
have been published. Each book of the Fine Art Facsimile Edition
has its own number and is bound in the same way as the original.
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The Duke favored Paul over the other brothers. He
appointed him to be
his personal servant and gave him jewels and a house. When Paul saw a
young girl he wanted to marry, the Duke tried to help him. Her parents
were opposed to the marriage. The girl, Gillette, was only twelve years
old and Paul was twenty-four! They married anyway.
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All three brothers died in the same year, 1416. They
were probably
victims of the plague, a disease that killed many people at that time.
They had not completed the Book of Hours , but other artists
finished the project.
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These beautiful miniature paintings were lost and
forgotten for
hundreds of years, but were rediscovered in the 19th century. Another
set of paintings by the Limbourg brothers, Les Belles Heures belongs to the
Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
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Our featured work Duke of Berry on a Journey
shows the
illustration made for a prayer for a safe journey. In the picture we
see the Duke on his white horse as he rides toward his castle followed
by his friends.
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