Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Barbara of Austria

Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Barbara of Austria

The precious manuscript of this Office of the Virgin Mary was in the possession of Barbara of Austria, an Austrian archduchess and wife of Alfonso II d’Este, Duke of Ferrara. As a private devotional book, the manuscript was probably with her during her wedding. The manuscript was made in France in the late 15th century in the French late-Gothic style of illumination – probably from the circle of the famous court painter Jean Bourdichon – and yet presents itself as being utterly and completely associate with the Austrian royal family: the motto A.E.I.O.U adorns nearly every page of the manuscript.

The Ducal Owner

The precious Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Barbara of Austria, which can be found today in the collection of the Biblioteca Estense Universitaria in Modena, was the private devotional book of Barbara of Austria. Barbara of Austria (1539–1572) was one of 11 children resulting from the union of Ferdinand I, who eventually became Holy Roman Emperor, and Anna Jagiello and as such was an Austrian archduchess. She married Alfonso II d’Este, the Duke of Ferrara in the year 1565. However, Barbara died already at the age of 33. The famous poet Torquato Tasso, whom she encountered in Italy, dedicated some of his poems to the Duchess of Ferrara.

In the Circle of the Famous Court Painter

The French Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Barbara of Austria probably accompanied Barbara on the day of her wedding to Alfonso d’Este. Already having been made in France in the 15th century, this manuscript presents itself as a splendid work of French Gothic art. It is stylistically reminiscent of the painting of Jean Bourdichon (1457–1521), who was active was a court painter for three French kings and is famous for his Prayer Book of Anne de Bretagne, inter alia. The Officium Beatae Mariae Virginis of Barbara of Austria probably originated from Bourdichon’s circle.

French Visual Adornment and an Austrian Motto

The 332 pages of the manuscript were adorned with 17 full-page miniatures and countless initials and other elements. Broad decorative frames, filled with magnificent ornamentation and decorative motifs, surround the primary miniatures with scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary. The ornamentation is permeated with representations of animals and plants both real and fantastic, or cherubs and musical angels, and a variety of additional decorative elements. One finds the motto of the Austrian royal family: “A.E.I.O.U. – Austria est imperare orbi universo – on practically every page of the manuscript, an unmistakable sign of its connection with Barbara of Austria!