Leaf from a Book of Hours: The Betrayal of Christ

c. 1470–85

circle of Maître François

(French)

Culture

France, central France, 15th century

Medium

ink, tempera and gold on vellum

Measurements

Leaf: 12.4 x 9.3 cm (4 7/8 x 3 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection 2005.208

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Location

Not on view

Did You Know?

It is unusual to see two columns of writing in a book of hours.

Description

This scene depicts the solemn moment of Christ’s arrest in the garden of Gethsemane when the kiss of his apostle, Judas, reveals his identity to captors. Following medieval artistic convention, Judas is usually depicted shorter than Christ. At the right, Simon Peter sheaths his sword while Christ heals the servant whose ear Peter cut off. The style and palette of this leaf are associated with Maître François, whose considerable commercial success encouraged many illuminators to imitate his forms and compositions.