2023-10-29 17:58:49
It is a “cathedral book”, a jewel of illumination, a world-renowned conservatory of medieval memory, and we understand why it is the subject of the greatest attention. The manuscript of Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry, whose scenes of fields and castles topped with magnificent starry skies are reproduced in all history textbooks, is currently the subject of studies intended to assess its state of conservation. The initiative goes to the management of the Condé Museum, at the Château de Chantilly, owner of this fabulous treasure since its acquisition by the Duke of Aumale in 1856.
Carried out with the Center for Research and Restoration of Museums of France (C2RMF), this expert work has just revealed its first lessons on the precious book of hours comprising 206 folios on vellum and 66 full-page illuminations. A work of prayer, intended for private devotion, commissioned by the powerful Duke of Berry, Jean de Berry (1340-1416), who made it an emblem of his prestige and his ambitions.
“In France in the Middle Ages, painting is not found on walls but in books and The Very Rich Hours are the conservatory of the work of the best painters of the 15th century », recalls Mathieu Deldicque, chief heritage curator and director of the Condé museum. Among the artists who worked on this masterpiece: the Limbourg brothers, Barthélemy d’Eyck and Jean Colombe.
Stop the damage
The work, which has survived more than six centuries, is not the subject of major concerns today. “It is a manuscript in fairly good condition, but the objective is to stop the damage and the sources of damage,” indicates Marie-Pierre Dion, general curator of the libraries of the Condé museum.
Among the disorders observed, always worrying for a manuscript of this value, brownish stains in the notebook backgrounds, some flaking of paint particularly on the page illustrating the three wise men -, undulations (unnatural) and signs of tension in the parchment , traces of dirt… “For the moment, nothing leads us to believe that things would evolve in a negative way, but we still need to be sure thanks to the studies that are continuing”specifies the curator.
For the first round of examinations, covering 29 folios, the manuscript was exceptionally moved to the premises of the C2RMF located at the Louvre, in Paris. “All methods used are non-invasive and contactless”, specifies Élisabeth Ravaud, research engineer at C2RMF. Several photographic campaigns (in grazing light, infrared, ultraviolet, etc.) and digital microscope examinations made it possible to make an initial diagnosis.
“We can hypothesize that certain flaking paint is the consequence of the letters painted on the reverse, which have deformed the hollow parchment due to the addition of humidity, explains the specialist. The brown spots present in the folds of the pages could come from a discharge of tannin from the binding.
These investigations, which allow us to penetrate the pictorial layers beyond the visible, will also be a source of new knowledge. “We have been able to observe repentance and each examination under the microscope reveals a wealth of details. That’s wonderful… “, describes Élisabeth Ravaud. A tower thus appeared on a horizon line.
A “minimalist” restoration
It is still too early to have details on the restoration that will follow his studies. “ Given the importance of the manuscript, it can only be minimalist”warns Marie-Pierre Dion. Thus, we will not fill in the gaps in the illuminations. We can, on the other hand, imagine placing a few drops of gelatin in places to stick the peeling paint, as was done during the restoration of the Belles Heures du Duc de Berry at the Metropolitan in New York. But nothing will be done without the approval of a multitude of experts.”
What has already been noted concerns the binding dating from the 18th century: the red leather cover, which has scratches, will be restored and the sewing of the first two notebooks, dating from the 20th century and partially broken, will be redone. A blessing in disguise, because on the occasion of this dismantling, the twelve illuminations representing the calendar of the months of the year – the most famous – will be exceptionally shown to the public during the summer of 2025 (read below).
We can also admire The zodiac man, a famous illustration of a naked man covered with the signs of the zodiac set against a mirrored background and inscribed in a sumptuously decorated mandorla… “Exhibiting these boards together has never happened and will never happen again”, points out Mathieu Deldicque with a smile. After this brief presentation to the light, the pages will then be reassembled in the binding. And will return to the darkness so that they can amaze future generations.
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An exceptional exhibition
♦ The Condé museum, located within the Château de Chantilly, will present a major international exhibition from June to September 2025 around the Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berryrevealing the illuminations of the calendar and the zodiacal man.
♦ These sublime representations illustrating the months of the year have established for generations of French people the features of an ideal medieval world, in suspended time. You can see the sumptuous court of the Duke of Berry (January), aristocratic and rural scenes: plowing (March), harvest (June) and even the grape harvest (September).
♦ For the first time since the death of the Duke of Berry, the exhibition will bring together the prince’s other books of hoursknown today, including THEBeautiful Hours preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, THEVery Beautiful Hours of Notre-Dame preserved at the National Library of France and The Very Beautiful Hours of the Duke of Berry, kept at the royal library in Brussels. Precious objects and the recumbent figure from his tomb, from Bourges Cathedral, will also be presented.
♦ The manuscript is available online since 2020 thanks to a very high definition photography campaign:
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