Single Leaf from a Book of Hours: Pieta
Francesco dai Libri (Italian, 1452–1506)
c. 1475–85
Medium
tempera and gold on vellum
Dimensions
14 × 9.3 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund
Accession Number
1951.394
Tags
male
About this artwork
One section of a book of hours is known as the Prayers to the Virgin. Dedicated to the Virgin Mary, this group of prayers is written in the first person singular, which allowed readers to insert themselves into the prayer. A reader would begin by calling upon the Virgin Mary and Saint John, with whom they would plead, as saints were considered intercessors who could emphasize a supplicant’s faithfulness. Plaintive or urgent in tone, these prayers are considered some of the most moving texts in b...