Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry

The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry or simply the Très Riches Heures ("The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry") is a richly decorated Book of Hours. Such books contained prayers to be said by lay faithful at each of the canonical hours of the day. The book was commissioned by Jean, Duc de Berry around 1410. It is probably the most important illuminated manuscript of the 15th century, "le roi des manuscrits enluminés" ("the king of illuminated manuscripts"). The "Très Riches Heures" has 416 pages. 131 of them have large miniatures, many more have border decorations or historiated initials. These artworks are among the high points of International Gothic painting, even though they are very small. There are 300 decorated capital letters. The book was worked on, over a period of nearly a century, in three main campaigns, led by the Limbourg brothers, Barthélemy van Eyck, and Jean Colombe. The book is now Ms. 65 in the Musée Condé, Chantilly, France.