Exhibition – Les Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry is no ordinary book. Hailed as the ‘Mona Lisa’ of manuscripts, this devotional book and collection of prayers commissioned by the Duke of Berry, brother of King Charles V, reflects the exquisite artistry and refined aesthetic of the late Middle Ages.

Its illuminators, who included the Limbourg brothers, leading artists at the courts of Burgundy and then Berry, used tempera, gold, silver and ink to decorate its vellum pages throughout the 15th century.

Featuring 121 captivating miniatures, these works depict historic châteaux, such as the Palais de la Cité, the Palais du Louvre and the Château de Vincennes, scenes from princely life and the seasonal cycle of rural labour.

Visitors are invited to delve into the century-long process of creating the Very Rich Hours and discover how it influenced other artists and why it continues to captivate audiences today.

Jean de Berry, prince, generous patron and lover of books, plays a central role in this story. All of his surviving books of hours will be presented together in the same place for the first time since his death in 1416.

Much of the Duke of Berry’s extensive medieval library, one of the most celebrated of its day, will also be on display, thanks to loans from prestigious museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Explore the complete manuscript online.

A discovery in stages

In December 1855, a manuscript once belonging to Duke Jean of Berry (1340-1416) resurfaced in Genoa. When he learned of the manuscript, the Duke of Aumale (1822-1897) instantly grasped its importance, purchased it and hired the leading experts of the day to begin a study of it.

Known by its 15th-century name, the Very Rich Hours is a remarkable prayer book created around 1411 for Jean I, Duke of Berry, brother of King Charles V, by three talented young artists from Nijmegen: the Limbourg brothers, Paul, Jean and Herman. Nephews of the painter Jean Malouel (circa 1370-1415), they worked alongside the most skilled copyists and illuminators of their time. Both patron and painters died in 1416, leaving the manuscript unfinished.

A succession of illuminators subsequently worked on the manuscript throughout the 15th century, including Barthélemy d’Eyck around 1440, for the Royal Family, and Jean Colombe around 1485, for Charles I of Savoy, who inherited it. This masterpiece, now considered one of the most remarkable books of its time, retains its unity while blending Flemish, French, Italian, Eastern and classical influences, which have been gradually brought to light by specialists in the field.

Since its acquisition by the Duke of Aumale and his commissioning of early reproductions of the work, the book has gained international acclaim as a masterpiece of medieval art. It continues to shape a romanticised and idealised vision of the Middle Ages in the popular imagination.

A unique insight into the Very Rich Hours

Following its restoration, twelve unbounded leaves of the Very Rich Hours will be placed on public display. These six bifolia, containing the calendar, will be presented vertically for viewing on both sides. Each unbound bifolium will be housed in a specially designed climate-controlled case created by conservators.

The manuscript itself, the centrepiece of the exhibition, will be presented in its own display case. Every two weeks, the book will be turned to a new double page. Visitors can also explore the entire book using two digital flipbooks and a paper facsimile.

The restoration, performed with the expert help of leading specialists, offered an unparalleled opportunity to scrutinise the work, revealing each stage of its creation, down to the smallest brushstroke. An audiovisual presentation in a separate room will bring to life these extraordinary findings and scientific images from analyses produced by the C2RMF.

Princely library

Thanks to a unique partnership with the National Library of France, much of the Duke of Berry’s extensive medieval library, one of the most celebrated of its day, will also be on display. Some thirty manuscripts will complete the Château de Chantilly’s own collection, offering a fuller picture of the prince’s opulent lifestyle, refined taste and intellectual pursuits.

Creating the Very Rich Hours

The exhibition examines the pivotal role of the Limbourg brothers in creating this book and introduces the principal artists who contributed to it, exploring their unique styles and inspirations.

Crowdfunding

To conserve this priceless medieval masterpiece, the Condé Museum has launched a historical restoration project to prevent further damage to the parchment and paint and to repair the binding.

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