"Funeral Mass," illuminated miniature in Book of Hours (Northern France and/or Bruges, 1460-70)
Produced for wealthy lay people in the manuscript era before the printing press, books of hours were ornately decorated liturgical texts that featured vibrant miniature representations of important religious events and ceremonies like the funeral mass seen here. Because each manuscript had to be individually written and illustrated, books of hours were often considered family heirlooms and thus remain well preserved. They represent a time before the printing press when illustrated books were seen as symbols of wealth. (CF)
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