en-The fashion for heart-shaped books

05/10/2017

Thanks to the Web, we have found a few rare evocations of a thrilling fashion from the late Middle Ages (15th-16th century)...

The books of hours, wonderful collections of prayers, poetry, songs and / or medieval sciences (such as the precious botanical paintings of the "very great hours of Anne of Brittany"... or the lovely daily life scenes of the "very rich hours of the Duke of Berry") had therefore been declined over time in singular shapes according to the whims of the time...

Heart, double-heart, Fleur de Lys, round, ovoid, etc...

We took up this original but centuries old concept in our guest books for weddings, private diaries, sketch books in a 21X12cm or 26X19.5cm format... Made with carved leather and handcrafted linen/hemp bearded paper (produced by our partner Papeterie Pasdeloup in Moutier d'Ahun)...

And protected it by copyright...

As a model, we took up the "Book of Hours of Nicolas Blairié" (said "for the use of Amiens"), dated of the 15th century, written in Latin in a 16.5X9cm format.

Its curious almond shape when closed blossoms into a heart when opened, concretely evoking the heart of the person praying, opening up to prayer, and spirituality...