Hours of Étienne Chevalier

Hours of Étienne Chevalier

Étienne Chevalier (1410–1474) ran in the highest social circles of the French kingdom. He was the treasurer of France under the rule of King Charles VII and an important patron of the arts. As such, Chevalier commissioned no one less than Jean Fouqet with the realization of a few works of art that would embed the names of both patron and artist in art history for all time.

A Primary Work of French Illumination

The Hours of Étienne Chevalieroriginated in the years between 1448 and 1457 and is considered today to be “one of the greatest masterpieces of occidental illumination.” Luminous colors and focused light, complicated spatiality, and an unbelievable technical mastery of miniature painting are probably the overriding features of the 47 miniatures. Architectural elements from the most varied styles are emulated in detail in splendid Renaissance columns and fine Gothic ornamentation. The elegant figures and wide landscapes on the other hand have a Flemish influence. The refinement of the painting is impressive and compliments the clear comprehensibility of the picture’s message.

The Downside of Admiration

Thus, the Hours of Étienne Chevalier presents itself in exceptional splendor. Nonetheless, the book of hours lost its original form through the turmoil of history. The book of hours was in the possession of Étienne Chevalier’s family until the 17th century. In the 18th century, the masterpiece fell victim to its own admiration, the manuscript was dismantled. First, the texts were painted over, then the miniatures were organized on wooden tablets. In this form, 40 of the miniatures came into the possession of the Duke of Aumale, who placed them in a single room in the Château de Chantilly – the modern Musèe Condè. Seven additional pages are divided among collections across the world, in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, the Louvre, and the Musèe Marmottan in Paris, in the British Library and Upton House, and in New York’s Metropolitan Museum.

Unsurpassed!

The master of this manuscript was Jean Fouquet (ca. 1420–1480), one of the greatest artists of French art history and the history of illumination overall. Fouquet worked for numerous important patrons and was in the service of the kings Charles VII and Louis XI. He got to know the most important masters of Renaissance painting in Italy early on and was influenced by them – both Italian and Dutch alike. With the book of hours that he made for Étienne Chevalier at the beginning of his career, he created a masterpiece that originated without a workshop behind it and which thoroughly meets the masterful standard of Fouquet’s skill.