Leaf from the Hours of Duke Louis of Savoy: Saints Nereus and Achilleus
Unknown Artist
mid-1400s
Medium
tempera and gold on vellum
Dimensions
11.2 × 8.9 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1952.4
About this artwork
Once part of a book of hours made for Louis, Duke of Savoy and Prince of Piedmont (1413–1465), this miniature depicts two Roman martyrs of the early church, Nereus and Achilleus, shown in the center. Their feast day was jointly honored on May 12, suggesting this leaf comes from the Suffrages, a customizable section of a book of hours containing prayers to particular saints. On the left we see the saints being asked to worship idols, which they refuse. They are then burned at the stake and behead...