You ask about photography. It is Museum policy not to allow photography in temporary exhibitions, and this is one. The loan objects included in the exhibition are loaned on the condition that photography is not allowed. Even beyond the regulations, there are practical issues, such as the low light levels – and if you or another patron were to use flash, that truly would be detrimental to the art. I hope you enjoy your access to the good photography of the pages available on this website and in the recently published book.
Best,
Wendy

Having been to the exhibit recently (having spent 6 hours in just that exhibit), I have a question about the policy of the exhibit not being photographed by patrons. I understand that the museum cannot allow photography in the case of exhibits that are on loan from other institutions, as the Met does not own rights to those pieces. I am baffled, however, by the no photography rule for this exhibit, as the museum owns the book. When the book is rebound, it is my understanding that, it will then be placed back on exhibit showing two pages at a time and patrons will again be allowed to photograph the pages, as patrons are allowed to photograph other objects owned by the museum on display. Why may we not photograph the pages while they are all on display rather than waiting years for (literally) the pages to turn?

I very much enjoyed the exhibit and I am pleased to have been able to see so much detail in the work. I will be returning before the exhibit is over to view it again as this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Thank you,
Amy

Thank you so much for your comments and for your appreciation of the exhibition. It is indeed a coincidence that both the Belles Heures and the Hours of Catherine of Cleves are being exhibited at the same time, but such a happy one for us all!

The Belles Heures were disbound so that the leaves could be properly photographed for a high quality facsimile. When it was disbound, the Museum’s conservators noted that in some areas, paint needed to be consolidated due to flaking problems. As a consequence, the conservation process was undertaken prior to the photography. So, the answer to your question is that the exhibition was only contemplated after the decision was taken to disbind and conserve the leaves.

As to your question about St. Bruno, he is not in the calendar of the Belles Heures.

Wendy

I had another question more of personal interest. I have a special interest in St. Bruno since I was born on October 6; my uncle, a priest, half-seriously advocated naming me Bruno. I looked at the various calendar pages with the magnifying glass but I did not see Bruno on the October page. Is it there but the script prevented me from seeing and reading it? Or is it not noted on that page? Perhaps October 6 was not yet St. Bruno’s feast day in the early 15th century?

Thanks.

Michael

First, congratulations on a superb exhibit. It is truly a special coincidence [or was it?] that we can see this BoH and the Morgan exhibit at the same time.

I’m working on a paper on medieval BoH’s for a History of the Book course in my MLS program and I have a technical question about the disbinding. Was the book disbound primarily in order to perform some conservation activities? If so, what were they? If so, is this done at any recommended interval [lengthy, I'd imagine]? Or was the book disbound mainly so this exhibit could be mounted? I guess I’m asking: is this exhibit the fortunate by-product of necessary conservation practices or the other way around?

Thanks.

Michael