The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 21, 2025

The Visitation: Leaf from a Book of Hours (5 of 6 Excised Leaves)

c. 1420

Henri d'Orquevaulx

(French)

or Workshop

France, 15th century
ink, tempera and gold on vellum
Each leaf: 16.1 x 12.5 cm (6 5/16 x 4 15/16 in.)
The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection 2003.172
Location: Not on view

Did You Know?

Originally used solely by the ordained, by the 1000s, these prayers had spread to the general population through their inclusion in books of hours.

Description

This leaf survives from what must have been an extraordinarily rich book of hours. Stylistically, the illuminations relate to the workshop of Henri d'Orquevaulx, a documented Metz manuscript painter. Little is known about d'Orquevaulx's life or career. Compositionally, structurally, and stylistically, the miniatures suggest strong links to Netherlandish illumination.
  • before 1539 - after 1541
    Jehan de Poncy (d. 1605) and his wife, Marguerite
    Bartlett Gurney (1756-1803), Norwich, England, bequeathed to his aunt Catherine Gurney
    -1808
    Catherine Gurney (1776–1850), Norwich, England, gifted to Rev. Edward Edwards
    1808-
    Rev. Edward Edwards (1766-1849), Lynn, Norfolk, bequeathed to his godson William Hay Gurney, nephew of Catherine Gurney
    William Hay Gurney (1827-1898), North Princeton
    April 7, 1978
    Sale: Christie's New York, April 7, 1978, Lot 226
    [Bruce Ferrini (1950-2010), Akron, OH, sold to Jeanne Miles Blackburn]
    -2003
    Ms. Jeanne Miles Blackburn, Maitland, Fl, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art
    2003-
    The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
  • Christie, Manson & Woods International Inc. Printed Books and Manuscripts Including an Important Manuscript Map of Southeastern North America, 1721. 1978. Lot 226
    Fliegel, Stephen N. The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection of Manuscript Illuminations. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1999. Mentioned: p. 37; Reproduced: p. 38, cat. no. 29 archive.org
  • The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection of Manuscript Illuminations. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (December 19, 1999-February 27, 2000).
  • {{cite web|title=The Visitation: Leaf from a Book of Hours (5 of 6 Excised Leaves)|url=false|author=Henri d'Orquevaulx, Workshop|year=c. 1420|access-date=21 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/2003.172