The Hours of Philip the Bold

Master of the Coronation Book of Charles V

Artists

This artist, active in Paris c. 1355-1380, was among Charles V’s favourite illuminators. He is named after his masterpiece, the Coronation Book commissioned in 1365 by the recently crowned king (London, BL, Cotton MS Tiberius B VIII). The Master of the Coronation Book of Charles V painted eighteen small miniatures in the Grandes Heures. Two of them (fols. 213r, 249v) are in quires 27 and 35 which also contain small miniatures by the Master of the Grandes Heures. Yet, the style, palette and painting techniques of the two artists differ considerably even when they collaborate within the same quire or on the same bifolio.

The facial types, fashionable clothing and pointed shoes are typical of figures painted by the Master of the Coronation Book of Charles V. The image of St Thomas also displays the artist’s preference for a bright yellow pigment, lead-tin yellow.