The Grandes Heures of Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany (1491-1514) was twice queen of France, first through her marriage in 1491 to Charles VIII (1492-1498) and then in 1499 following her marriage to Louis XII (1499-1514). Among the most notable works in her private library was the Grandes Heures (now preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France), a prayer book she commissioned from the illuminator Jean Bourdichon who completed the work between 1503 and 1508.
This beautiful book of hours consists of 476 pages including 49 large, full-page miniatures. Other pages and ornamented margins are decorated with a multitude of flowers, fruits, animals and insects.
A large part of this magnificent manuscript, famous for its exquisite painting, is available from the RMN photographic agency.
