HOURS FOR THE USE OF TROYES. Troyes, circa 1450-1460, parchment manuscript of I + 196 ff (184 + I-XIIv calendar, -1 f. 78 cut out after foliation), 185 x 120 mm, calendar justification 100 x 65 mm, 17 long lines; text justification 100 x 70 mm, 12 long lines; textura writing in black and red ink; advertisements on ff. 24v, 32v, 48v, 56v, 64v, 72v, 80v, 88v, 104v, 112v, 120v, 128v, 152v, gaps in 4 paintings: Pentecost between ff. 9-10, Annunciation between ff. 16-17, David between ff. 77-79 and Office des morts between ff. 107-108. In-8, fawn calf, gilt decoration on the covers with a large straight roulette in a frame, large spandrels and oval medallion in the centre with azure backgrounds, strewn with gilt flowers on the field, spine decorated, gilt edges (Binding of the 16th century). Text ff. I-XIIv : Calendar : 24 January s. Savinian in red martyr of Troyes, 29 January s. Savine virgin of Troyes, 4 May s. Hélène en rouge virgin of Troyes, 7th May s. Mastie in red patron saint of the diocese of Troyes, 10th May s. Loup bishop of Troyes, 11th May s. Gengou martyred in Burgundy, 29th July s. Loup in red, 22nd August s. Simphorien honoured in Autun, 27th August s. Mammes de Langres, 1st September s. Loup bishop of Sens and s. Gilles in red, 14th September s. Avoie en rouge, 10th October s. Estanche, 19 October s. Savinian. ff. 1-3 : Pericope of s. Jean ff. 3v-16v : Hours of the Cross and Hours of the Holy Spirit ff. 17-77v : Hours of the Virgin according to the usage of Troyes ff. 79-107v : Psalms of penitence followed by litanies, with s. Savinian martyr of Troyes, s. Potentien bishop of Sens, s. Pantaléon honoured near Autun, s. Urphe, ss. Ferreol and Ferjeux honoured at Besançon, s. Loup bishop of Troyes, s. Frodebert of Troyes, s. Fidole of Troyes, s. Maure of Champagne, s. Hélène virgin of Troyes, s. Mastide patroness of the diocese of Troyes and s. Savine virgin of Troyes. Savine virgin of Troyes. ff. 108-166 : Office of the dead according to the custom of Troyes. ff. 166v-184 : Prayers : Doulce Dame, Doulx Dieu, Sainte vraye Croix, Obsecro te rédigé au féminin, Mon Dieu, mon père, mon créateur, Salve regina. f. 184: Prayer in Latin in another hand, 16th century cursive script. Decoration The manuscript contained 5 miniatures, of which only one remains. f. 3v: Beautiful Crucifixion in shimmering colours. Saint John is wearing a pink cloak lined with green and the Virgin a blue cloak lined with gold. Blood trickles from Christ's wounds. Landscape with cubic rocks. Borders on three sides with gold leaves, acanthus and strawberries at the head of the Hours of the Virgin: ff. 31 (lauds), 45 (prime), 51 (tierce), 55v (sexte), 59v (none), 64 (vespers), 71v (compline). Large vignetted initials, small initials, watermarked initials on 1 line. The only miniature can be attributed to the Master of the Missal of Troyes, an artist trained in Paris, named after the Missel Paris, BnF. ms. Lat. 865A, illuminated around 1460. The Crucifixion in the missal features the same rocky landscape, though a little less exuberant here, a motif borrowed from the Limbourg brothers, and the same subtle luminous atmosphere suggesting a deep space (Peindre en France. Trente ans de recherches sur les manuscrits à peintures (1440-1520), edited by Fr. Elsig, S. Gras, D. Vanwijnsberghe, Milan, 2025, M. Hermant: la Champagne, fig. 1a, pp. 286 and 293). The figures are less elongated. Saint John wears the same pink cloak lined with green and shares the same grimacing face. François Avril wonders whether the Master of the Troyes Missal disappeared during the 1460s, or whether he was expatriated, as seems to be indicated by his appearance in various Burgundian and especially Franc-Comtois manuscripts (Fr. Avril, Très riches heures de Champagne, exhibition catalogue Troyes 2007, cat. 21-23 and figs. 5-6, 72). There are also Franc-Comtois and Burgundian saints here, which may have something to do with the patron's devotion. In fact, the artist worked for the bisontine bourgeoisie from Troyes before moving to Franche-Comté, as attested by his influence on local illuminators, including the Master of the Pontificals of Neufchâtel. Based on its gold-leaf borders, this book of hours can be dated early in the career of the Master of the Troyes Missal, to around 1450. A superb copy in a very fine sixteenth-century binding. This manuscript was calligraphed for a woman from the diocese of Troyes with ties to Franche-Comté and Burgundy. It remained in the region until the 19th century. From the library of the Château de Jallerange, Franche-Comté, with bookplate.