Book of Hours of Philip II

Book of Hours of Philip II

The book of hours owned by the Spanish King Philip II impresses with wonderful, stylish miniatures that are perfectly executed artistically and a rich, creative design of the pages of text and imagery. Philip II, the significant Spanish King and builder of the royal monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial, commissioned the private devotional book, which was made by two monks of El Escorial. Oriented on the style of Italian role models like Giulo Clovio, the religious depictions and ornamental bordures bring the most luminous colors and noble gold together with fantastic miniature painting. The Book of Hours of Philip II represents one of the gems of the monastic library of the Escorial.

The Royal Patron

In the years 1563–1585, King Philip II (1527–1598) had a royal monastery of incredible proportions built on a hill amidst a wide, barren landscape not far from Madrid. To this day, the monastery complex of San Lorenzo de El Escorial belongs among the most impressive edifices of 16th century Spain. The significant library with the great hall under a barrel vault decorated with wonderful frescoes is also one of the monuments created by Philip II. Numerous manuscripts have been housed in the library since the time of Philip II, some true treasures of illumination among them.

A Spanish Work of Art in the Italian Style

The Book of Hours of Philip II assembles 45 miniatures on 324 pages. All the pages of the royal manuscript are opulently designed with decorative ornamentation and furnished with gilded initials. The private book of hours, with an unusually large format of 33.5 x 23 cm, offers an unbelievably colorful impression at first sight. The Hieronymites Andrés de León and Julián de la Fuenta el Saz were the artists responsible for the manuscript. They oriented their artistic arrangement for the royal commission on Italian examples. The miniatures, frames, and initials are reminiscent of the fantastic art of Giulio Clovio in their perfection.

Airy Miniatures Alongside Ornamental Bordures

The biblical scenes of the miniatures play out above and before an airy green landscape and interior spaces designed with a strict perspective. The figures in colorful, lightly-draped garments are extremely animated and lovingly individualized. The large-format miniatures are surrounded by broad bordures, which also adorn some pages of text. Tasty fruits and splendid blossoms alternate in the décor with playful cherubs and other ornaments. Some of the pages are designed in a restrained yet noble manner with monochrome frames and bewildering golden ornaments, in which wonderful medallions with monochrome depictions of saints are embedded. The initials of the text are also furnished with gold in accordance with the overall artistic design. The Book of Hours of Philip II represents an outstanding attestation of 16th century Spanish illumination and, with its artistic décor of the highest quality, is worthy of a royal owner.