St Matthew from the Coëtivy Hours

Dunois Master, attributed to

Folio with three-quarter page miniature from a book of Hours attributed to the Dunois Master, written in Latin and French in a bastarda script, made in Paris and dated 1443–1445. It was commissioned by Prigent de Coëtivy (1399?–1450) on the occasion of his marriage to Marie de Rais (1429–1457). Removed from the bound volume between 1933 and 1960. Following the calendar, the manuscript opens with the Gospel lessons, excerpts from the life of Christ presented chronologically and all associated with major feasts: John (Christmas), Luke (Annunciation), Matthew (Epiphany), and Mark (Ascension). Beneath rubrics in blue, the lesson from the Gospel of Matthew (2.1-12) opens with the illuminated initial 'C' (Cum natus esset ihesus in bethleem iuda in diebus herodis regis) painted with red, blue and gold ivy-leaf ornament. The miniature is painted in demi-grisaille with pigments and gold and depicts St Matthew the Evangelist writing in a codex, accompanied by his symbol (winged man), other books lay both open and closed on the lectern. A bird and angel look on from the right margin.