In fact, it seems to wax more and more sumptuous--the books more
profusely ornamented than ever. The Missal and Prayer-book of Albert of
Brandenburg, Archbishop of Mainz, once at Aschaffenburg, executed about
1524 are among the finest productions of the illuminator's art. While
perhaps we may complain that design has given way to profusion and the
border flowers and insects--a contemporary characteristic of
Netherlandish art also--are neither more nor less than portraiture
applied to flowers, fruits, and the insect world. The larger miniatures
are modern paintings, including portraits, differing in nothing but
dimensions from the works of the greatest masters of the schools of
painting. In ignorance of the strict rules of the gilds, some writers
have gone so far as to say that miniatures also such as these were the
work of the Van Eycks, the Memlings, and the Lucas van Leydens of our
public galleries. This particular MS. was the work of a famous Nuremberg
miniaturist, one of a distinguished family of artists--Nicolas
Glockendon.
A very similar, but perhaps still richer, MS., is the Prayer-book of
William of Bavaria, still kept in the Imperial Library at Vienna (No.
1880), painted by Albert Glockendon. It is one of the most exquisite
volumes possibly to be met with.
Pages:
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231