Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca

Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca

The Book of Hours of the Bishop Juan Rodriguez Fonsecais counted among the high points of Flemish painting ca. 1500. Although none of the great masters have been able to be clearly identified up to today, the quality of the artistic furnishings is undisputed and recognizable at first glance for every beholder. Magnificent ornamentation, imaginative details, grandiose miniatures, and particularly creative calendar pages make the Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca something completely exceptional. Furthermore, the name of the supposed commissioner is closely linked with Spanish history ca. 1500, he was among the most influential and close confidants of the Catholic Kings.

A Commissioner with Far-Reaching Influence

Archbishop Juan Rodriguez de Fonseca (1451–1524) belonged to the highest circle of politically influential people under the Catholic King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. As bishop he held numerous bishop’s sees, including Córdoba and Palencia, before he was named Bishop of Burgos in 1514. Nevertheless, alongside this clerical office, Fonseca frequently undertook important matters of state for the Catholic Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon. In this way, he had considerable influence on Spanish history and became an influential and historically significant personality. As such it was almost inevitable that he, like all high-ranking and wealthy people of this time be they burghers, nobles, or kings, commissioned his own magnificent book of hours. This book of hours belonging to Bishop Fonseca is stored today in the Real Seminario de San Carlos Borromeo in Zaragoza and contains true treasures of Flemish illumination.

Particularly High-Quality Painting

Aside from a wonderful calendar, the book of hours brings together 46 full-page miniatures as well as countless smaller miniatures. The pages are covered by broad frames, sometimes with gold background, with adorning flowers and other ornamentation. Numerous heraldic devices of the bishop blanket the book of hours, such as his coat-of-arms. The calendar in particular is illustrated with wonderful full-page miniatures, such as a grape harvest in September or with a bathing scene in June. To be sure, these are everyday scenes as are found in many miniatures from books of hours. Yet here the artists appears to display a special creativity. For example, on one page he staged an entertaining rabbit hunt. The white animals are located in a green landscape within a round fence. Nevertheless, one of the rabbits has escaped and is hunted across a field by a white dog. Entertaining scenes such as this account for the particular charm of the Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca.

The Riddle of the Masters of the Miniatures

The Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca probably originated ca. 1500. The paintings clearly indicate the style of the Flemish school, its genesis was probably in Ghent or Bruges. Associated with the Flemish style of illumination were such significant names as the Master of the Maria of Burgundy. Indeed, the name of the artist for the Book of Hours of the Bishop Fonseca is still not known today. It is undisputed that the miniatures and the entire artistic furnishings of the book of hours are among the best of what Flemish illumination produced ca. 1500. Currently, the so-called Master of the Book of Hours of 1500 is considered to be the leading artist of the book of hours. Yet, it is not to be ruled out that future research in art history may identify a particularly big name as the master of the miniatures such as Hans Memling, Huga van der Goes, or Gerard David. Such a definitive ascription would finally suit the artistic tier of this object.