Leaf from a Book of Hours: Annunciation, Nativity and Two Prophets
Medium
tempera and gold on parchment
Dimensions
15.1 × 9.2 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1953.280
Tags
About this artwork
This leaf came from a book of hours, a devotional book popular in the Middle Ages. They contained prayers that a devoted individual would use throughout the day. It has been estimated that 1 in 15 households owned a book of hours, although this luxurious example could only have belonged to an aristocratic household.
About the Artist
Master of Riccardiana 231 (Italian)
The designation "Italian" in art collections typically refers to an anonymous artist or a loose attribution to works from Italian schools, rather than a specific individual. With 173 known artworks in the museum's collection, this entry likely encompasses paintings by unidentified masters active across various periods, such as the Renaissance, Baroque, or later eras. Early life and personal detail...