Leaf from a Book of Hours: Ape Hunting Wild Boars (recto) and Ape Fishing (verso)
Unknown Artist
c. 1500–1510
Medium
ink, tempera and liquid gold on vellum
Dimensions
18.1 × 12.9 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection
Accession Number
2006.13
About this artwork
The litany of the saints is among the most ancient and emotional Christian liturgical texts, dating in the West to at least the AD 400s. In a book of hours, the litanies is a list of saints’ names expressed in hierarchical order and individual rank. These names were recited rhythmically as invocations, followed each time by Ora pro nobis (Pray for us). In this way, saints were called upon by sinners seeking forgiveness and salvation. The bas-de-page (lower margin), features an ape hunting wild b...