Black Hours, Morgan MS 493

They are so named for their unusual dark blueish appearance, a colourisation achieved through the expensive process of dyeing the vellum with iron gall ink.

This dye is very corrosive and the surviving examples are mostly badly decomposed; MS M.493 is in relatively good condition due to its very thick parchment.

[2] However, no records survive of its commission, but its uniquely dark tone, expense of production, quality and rarity suggest ownership by privileged and sophisticated members of the Burgundian court.

[9] The members of the Burgundian court were known to have had a preference for dark, sombre colours, and the black books can be assumed to have been designed specifically for their taste.

[5] The style was adapted by other members of the court, who seem to have favoured black against gold and silver in artworks as well in formal dress, as can be seen in Rogier van der Weyden's contemporary Jean Wauquelin presenting his 'Chroniques de Hainaut' to Philip the Good.

"[5] The manuscript does not contain any family crest to identify the donor, who, given the expense of the book and its labour-intensive production, is assumed to have been a high-ranking member of court.

The book is often linked to the circle of the Utrecht illuminator Willem Vrelant, who was highly regarded and successful and was active in Bruges from the 1450s until his death in 1481.

[12] Other possible attributions include the circle of the French painter Philippe de Mazerolles (d. 1479),[12] or the workshop of Lieven van Lathem (active 1454–93).

[11] According to the Morgan Library, van Lathem's influence can be seen in the "figures in angular drapery [who] move somewhat stiffly in shallowly defined spaces ... [while] the men's flat faces are dominated by large noses".

In the 15th century, Ultramarine pigment was extremely rare and worth more by weight than gold;[11] thus its prevalence in this work is an indicator of the commissioner's wealth.

[12][18] The miniatures depict scenes from the lives of the Virgin and Christ and are placed to the left (verso) pages of the book, mostly against calendar representations of days from the liturgical year.

[8][17] Art historian Ingo Walther described folio 18v, which depicts the Descent of the Holy Spirit, as evidencing the "unusual, exquisite and precious overall effect ... generated by using the technique of fixing an illumination on a piece of black dyed parchment".

[8] The following is a complete list of the manuscript's miniatures:[12][19] MS 493's early history is obscure, and there are no surviving title or inventory records before the 19th century.

[20][21] Hoe held it until 1912; following his death that year it was sold in a large scale and commercially successful sell-off of his collection of rare and antique books.

[22][23] It passed between two book dealers, Bernard Quaritch and Léon Gruel, before its eventual acquisition by the Pierpont Morgan Library later that year.