May

Ornate Facsimile Page from the Da Costa Book of Hours
Origin: Flanders (Bruges), before 1514
Library: New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, MS 399, fol. 6v

Among the richly illuminated prayer books produced for lay devotion in the late Middle Ages, the Livres d’heures, or Books of Hours, from Flanders occupy a distinguished place in art history. This is due not only to the remarkable number of surviving examples, but also to the secular charm of their illustrations—particularly those adorning the calendar pages. The principal centers of manuscript production in Flanders were Ghent and Bruges, where Alexander Bening (†1519) and his son Simon Bening (1483–1561) played a formative role in shaping and advancing the tradition of Flemish Books of Hours. A preeminent example of this tradition is the so-called Da Costa Book of Hours, named after the Portuguese noble family of Da Costa.

The full-page miniature for the month of May is a superb testament to the richness and artistic sophistication of the calendar illustrations within this manuscript. By the 15th century, two primary themes had emerged for depictions of May in calendar art: the aristocratic horseback ride and the festive outing in a garlanded boat. In this particular image, both motifs are elegantly intertwined, offering a masterful synthesis of courtly leisure and seasonal celebration.