Leaf from a Book of Hours: The Betrayal of Christ

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.

Provenance

Miss Jean C. Grattan (-1986); (Sale: Sotheby's London, June 24, 1986, Lot 107) (June 24, 1986); (Sale: Sotheby's London, December 5, 1989, lot 114) (December 5, 1989); (Sale: Sotheby's London, June 22, 1993, lot 100) (June 22, 1993); [Bruce Ferrini (1949-2010), Akron, OH, sold to Ms. Jeanne Miles Blackburn]; Jeanne Miles Blackburn, Maitland, FL, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art (-2011); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2011-)

Leaf from a Book of Hours: The Betrayal of Christ

Maître François

c. 1470–85

Accession Number

2005.208

Medium

ink, tempera and gold on vellum

Dimensions

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

Classification

Manuscript

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection