Books of Hours are probably the most famous of all medieval illuminated manuscripts. Presented here are twelve Books of Hours that date from the origins of the genre in the thirteenth century to its eclipse in the sixteenth century. Examples come from France, Italy and the Southern and Northern Netherlands and are by many notable artists, including Pietro da Pavia, Belbello da Pavia, the Master of Zweder van Culenburg, the Master of the Gold Scrolls, Willem Vrelant, Guillaume II le Roy and Jean Poyer.Certain major centres of production emerge with greater clarity: Paris, Rouen, Bruges, Tours and Lyon, among others.
 
Comparative photographs of manuscripts in institutions place these twelve Horae in their broader artistic and cultural contexts. An introductory essay by Christopher de Hamel explores how Books of Hours are very private books, very personal, very intimate, very tactile, each manuscript offering a captivating glimpse into the lives and preoccupations of their owners, then and now.