Snow Day!

Nashville loves its snow. That’s why whenever they even get a hint of a mixed flurry, all schools shut down. Recently, we had a catastrophe in the eyes of most Nashville citizens, a whole…. inch…. of snow. Well of course this means that there’s no possible way for me to get out of the house and out into civilization. So what did I do with my day off of school? I read my art history textbook for five hours! Two chapters and 16 pages of notes later, I was finished with 300 years of art history. Through my five-hour trudge through the difficult realm of the history of art, I became enlightened by the works of Van Eyck and Weyden while my friends were ruining their brain cells by playing in the snow. Through all of this enlightenment, my favorite piece of art was the Les Trés Riches Heures du Duc de Berry (The Very Sumptuous Hours of the Duke of Berry).

A book of hours is a book used for reciting prayers. It usually consisted of things such as an illustrated calendar, penitential Psalms, and devotional prayers. The most famous part about this book of hours is its calendar that represents the 12 months with alternating scenes of nobility and peasantry and seasonal tasks. January shows the Duke at a dinner festival, almost appearing Godlike because of the fire that illuminates as a halo around his head. October depicts the labors of a sower, harrower, and washerwoman. Instead of being unhappy about their work though, they seem happy to be doing such work for the Duke. This book of hours shows an increased interest in naturalism as well as narrowing the gap between the integration of religious and secular themes.

My main attraction to this piece of art is how much work was put into something for one person. These incredibly detailed pictures were put together all for the personal use of the Duke. It’s also interesting that this book of hours portrays the donor in such a high light. I guess the Duke needed his self-confidence boosted? Nevertheless, I love the concept of this exquisite book that is used for one’s own personal and private prayers and I wish that I could see what the pictures that go with the other 10 months look like.