The Art of Illumination

Belles Heures of Jean de France, duc de Berry, 1405–1408/9. Herman, Paul, and Jean de 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).

Saint Catherine Cycle
Saint Catherine in her Study, Folio 15r

In this unprecedented scene, the serene saint studies in an elaborate ecclesiastical space, viewed through a double arcade. Catherine’s monumental figure is balanced by a large bookstand, equating her with learning. Both the altar deep in the space and the book stand are topped with images of Moses. The border of the page is more elaborate than those of the remaining pictures in the cycle, identifying it as the frontispiece to the story.