Paperblanks Spinola Hours Ultra Softback Flexi Journal – Plain, 176 Pages

Capture your ideas, plans and memories in this Spinola Hours ultra softback flexi journal from Paperblanks, with 176 plain pages of 100 gsm acid-free paper.

Displaying astounding naturalistic illusionism, the Spinola Hours is one of the most visually sophisticated 16th-century Flemish manuscripts. It contains a calendar of Church holidays, hours, offices and masses, as well as prayers, hymns and readings, all richly illuminated as seen in the page reproduced here.

The Story Behind the Design

With pages displaying astounding plays of naturalistic illusionism, the luxurious personal prayer book known as the Spinola Hours is one of the most visually sophisticated Flemish manuscripts of the 16th century.

A book of hours contains texts including a calendar of Church holidays, the Hours of the Virgin (a cycle of prayer services devoted to the Virgin Mary), the Office for the Dead, and other prayers, hymns and readings. This particular example augments these contents with a special series of weekday offices and masses, providing even more possibilities for rich illuminations. The book was undoubtedly commissioned for a wealthy patron, perhaps Margaret of Austria, for whom the Master of James IV of Scotland, a famed manuscript illuminator and painter, produced other works. In the 1700s it belonged to the Spinola family in Genoa, from whom it takes its modern name.

We are honoured to feature this unparalleled example of illumination from the J. Paul Getty Museum as part of our collaborative collection.

• Original artwork: Illuminated manuscript page from the Spinola Hours
• Era: circa 1510–1520
• Region: Belgium

Product Details

• Size: Ultra – 175 × 225 × 12 mm
• Interior: Plain
• Pages: 176 (88 sheets)
• Paper: 100 gsm acid-free smooth paper
• Cover: Softback flexi (flexible cover)
• Closure: Elastic band
• Binding: Smyth sewn – lies flat and stays durable
• Corners: Rounded
• Pouch: Back cover pouch
• Design: Spinola Hours
• Series: Ancient Illumination
• Collection: The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection
• Satin ribbon marker
• Decorative printed cover paper
• Endpaper with credit and copyright information as well as historical background for the original artwork
• Threaded stitching and glue, as needed
• Acid-free paper
• Memento pouch
• Weight: 388 g
• Product code: FB9392-3 | ISBN: 9781439793923

About Paperblanks

Paperblanks works with museums, libraries, galleries and artists around the world to faithfully reproduce remarkable artwork, historic bindings and treasured manuscripts, and every notebook is crafted with the same attention to detail, from the paper inside to the finish of the cover.