The Art of Illumination

The Belles Heures of Jean of France, Duc of Berry, 1406–8 or 1409. Pol, Jean, and Herman Limbourg (Franco-Netherlandish, active in France by 1399–1416). French; Made in Paris. Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum; 9 3/8 x 6 5/8 in. (23.8 x 16.8 cm). The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, The Cloisters Collection, 1954 (54.1.1).

Bifolio: 152v and 149r

This is an example of a complete bifolio as it appears when the book is unbound, and as it currently appears in the exhibition galleries. Pages were never meant to be seen in this way. Here we see two scenes from the passion story apparently in the wrong order: The Soldiers at the Tomb (Folio 152v) should be after The Deposition (Folio 149r), and in the bound manuscript they appear correctly.