Artheon LogoArtheon
Loading...
Book of Hours
Click to view fullscreen

Book of Hours

Simon Bening

ca. 1530–35

Medium

Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment; modern red leather binding

Tags

MenWomenCowsDogsHorsesSheepHoly FamilyJesus

Dimensions

Manuscript: 2 9/16 × 2 1/16 × 1 1/8 in. (6.5 × 5.2 × 2.9 cm) Folio: 2 5/16 × 1 5/8 in. (5.9 × 4.2 cm) Illumination only: 1 7/8 × 1 5/16 in. (4.8 × 3.4 cm) Text area: 1 7/16 in. × 1 in. (3.6 × 2.6 cm)

Collection

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

The Cloisters Collection, 2015

Classification

Manuscripts and Illuminations

Department

The Cloisters

Culture

Netherlandish

Rights

Public Domain

About Simon Bening

1473–1561 • Southern Netherlands

Born into a family of renowned and influential Flemish miniaturists; Simon is known to have begun work by 1508, when he entered the guild of Sts. John & Luke in Bruges; worked for Charles V and the Infant de Portugal; noted for bringing to miniatures the visual effects developed in large scale painting. In addition to producing books for powerful aristocrats such as Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg, Bening worked for a group of international royal patrons including Emperor Charles V and Don Fernando, the Infante of Portugal. He specialized in books of hours and is also known to have received commissions for painted genealogical tables and portable altarpieces on parchment. Bening's art continued the Flemish tradition of skillfully representing the muted natural light of haunting nocturnal scenes. His work also contributed to a newer Flemish practice of painting poetic landscape vistas.

Explore More

More from Renaissance →More in Tempera, gold, and ink on parchment from The Metropolitan Museum of Art →

Related Artworks

Discover similar artworks

Hebrew Bible

Hebrew Bible

1300–1350 (before 1366)

Antiphonary

Antiphonary

ca. 1600

Gospel Book

Gospel Book

ca. 825–50

The Cloisters Apocalypse

The Cloisters Apocalypse

ca. 1330

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Fourth Angel Sounds the Trumpet and an Eagle Cries Woe

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Fourth Angel Sounds the Trumpet and an Eagle Cries Woe

ca. 1180

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia with Saint John

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Angel of the Church of Philadelphia with Saint John

ca. 1180

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Lamb at the Foot of the Cross, Flanked by Two Angels; The Calling of Saint John with the Enthroned Christ flanked by Angels and a Man Holding a Book

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the Lamb at the Foot of the Cross, Flanked by Two Angels; The Calling of Saint John with the Enthroned Christ flanked by Angels and a Man Holding a Book

ca. 1180

Leaves from a Beatus Manuscript: Bifolium with part of the Genealogy of Christ and the Adoration of the Magi

Leaves from a Beatus Manuscript: Bifolium with part of the Genealogy of Christ and the Adoration of the Magi

ca. 1180

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the First Angel Sounds the Trumpet; Fire, Hail-stones, and Blood are Cast Upon the Earth

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: the First Angel Sounds the Trumpet; Fire, Hail-stones, and Blood are Cast Upon the Earth

ca. 1180

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: Christ in Majesty with Angels and the Angel of God Directs Saint John to Write the Book of Revelation

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: Christ in Majesty with Angels and the Angel of God Directs Saint John to Write the Book of Revelation

ca. 1180

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: at the Clarion of the Fifth Angel's Trumpet, a Star Falls from the Sky; the Bottomless Pit is Opened with a Key; Emerging from the Smoke, Locusts Come Upon the Earth and Torment the Deathless

Leaf from a Beatus Manuscript: at the Clarion of the Fifth Angel's Trumpet, a Star Falls from the Sky; the Bottomless Pit is Opened with a Key; Emerging from the Smoke, Locusts Come Upon the Earth and Torment the Deathless

ca. 1180

Manuscript Leaf with the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, from a Laudario

Manuscript Leaf with the Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew, from a Laudario

ca. 1340

More by Simon Bening

Explore other works by this artist

Manuscript Leaf with Adoration of the Holy Name, from a Book of Hours

Manuscript Leaf with Adoration of the Holy Name, from a Book of Hours

after 1530 (?)

Pietà

Pietà

probably 1522–23

Self-portrait

Self-portrait

1558

Virgin and Child

Virgin and Child

ca. 1520

Sancte Joane Batisti

Sancte Joane Batisti

All artworks by Simon Bening displayed