Christie's is a "treasured"

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Christie's will present "The Collection of Treasure" in London in July 2010
 
A wide selection of unique masterpieces of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, including prayer books of French kings Francis I and Henry IV and Elizabeth de Bohun, great-grandmother's King Henry V, will be brought to the attention of collectors house Christie's auction July 7, 2010 in London.
'The collection of treasures: outstanding illuminated manuscripts and incunabula. Part I »- a unique private collection, which met for the past three decades. The collection includes personal prayer books of kings, bishops, nobles and other notable figures XIII-XVI centuries, among them France's King Francis I - the patron of Leonardo da Vinci and the first owner of the painting "Mona Lisa", King of France, Henry IV and Elizabeth de Bohun - great-grandmother of King England, Henry V.

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The collection of 48 lots, total estimeyt ranging from £ 11 to £ 16 million, their first public appearance in the pre-auction showing lots of trades Christie's «Old Masters and Art of the XIX century", from 3 to 7 July 2010.

"This is truly a unique collection of illuminated manuscripts, manuscripts and
incunabula, presented in all their glory. It is a masterpiece of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, many of which were created by the order of well-known personalities. Among the lots will be submitted to prayer-books, which are the most personal works of art. Used for prayers, they also reflect the degree of consistency and status of the owner. They created the most famous and influential artists and craftsmen. This collection contains copies of the best in every category: from the prayer-book to literary works. All lots of features the splendor of decoration, the importance of texts, excellent safety and outstanding provenance. It is unsurpassed aesthetic component of these masterpieces have attracted and inspired by the current owner to purchase these products and their study. Being a successful businessman, he also helped community organizations in this field ", - says the director of the department of books and manuscripts Christie's (London), Margaret Ford.

One of the most expensive household items royalty of the Renaissance were illuminated manuscripts - manuscripts with illustrations, executed in bright colors, and decoration with elements of gold. Materials and the work itself cost especially costly, because the visual richness of the book was similar to the picture gallery. But the aesthetic value, for which so highly valued these books prevailed, and the artists who packaged them, were the most famous creators of his time. These manuscripts were the most eloquent proof of wealth and refined taste of their owners.

Book of Hours - prayer intended for private use, were the most common type of illuminated books. They are also widely represented in the Collection of Jewels. As a book for personal use, content and appearance of the Book of Hours could be created based on the preferences of the owners, their interests, attitudes and tastes. Their purpose was not only religious - the brightest specimens were subjects of admiration, both for owners and for those to whom they appear. Designed to show them off, they were a status symbol and signified membership in a particular society. According to custom, in the pages of these books were the portraits of the owners in the rich garments, created by the latest fashion.

Top lots collections:

- Book of Hours French King Francis I, richly Illuminated master
Francois de Rogan, valued at £ 300,000 - £ 500,000. Francis I, one of the great royal patrons of the Renaissance, was an admirer of art and architecture, and attracted to his court famous artists. The most prominent among them was Leonardo da Vinci. He spent his last years of his life in the service of the king. After the death of da Vinci, Francis I acquired, perhaps, the most famous paintings by the artist - "Gioconda."

- Performed in England in the XIV century prayer book and psalter Elizabeth de Bohun, Countess of Northampton, and great-grandmother's King Henry V, previously estimated at £ 2 million-£ 3 million they were borrowed from a previous owner, William Waldorf Astor for the exhibition in New York 1883, revenue from which was aimed at creating a pedestal for the Statue of Liberty.

- Handwritten Bible, made in Italy in the middle of the XIII century, is decorated with a large and exquisite hand-drawn illustration. It is assumed that it was designed for use in the monastic community of the Dominican Order, but on the edges of the present genre scenes of entertainment and a fantastic character, far removed from daily religious themes illustrations, which usually appear in such books. The calendar lists the date of death of Theodoric Borgonone (about 1296), and perhaps it was the client of this work, as it was not just a monk of the Dominican Order, and Bishop Cherviyskim, but also one of the most meaningful and resourceful physicians of the Middle Ages. Bible valued at £ 2,5 млн - £ 3,5 million

- Excellent "Epistles of Ovid" - an early translation from the French "Heroides" the Roman poet, created for Anne de Bretagne, wife of two shifts of each other French kings - Charles VIII and Louis XII - the wife and mother of the third King Francis I (эстимейт - £ 500 thousand - £ 800 thousand).

- The first edition of Boccaccio's "On famous women" (estimate - £ 250 thousand - £ 350 thousand) was printed in Ulm in 1473 and is a shining example of German woodcuts. This copy formerly belonged to the English statesman and writer William Ewart Gladstone, four had been Prime Minister of Great Britain.

- The first edition of Pliny's work "Natural History" in Italian (estimate - £ 250 thousand - £ 350 thousand) is a masterpiece of early printing. Released in 1476 in Venice typographer Nicolas Jeanson, it is beautifully illuminated specifically for family Bolzani.

- Book of Hours Cauchon was created in the mid XV century for the noble pair of Reims, which are depicted as a knight in armor and his elegantly dressed lady. Miniatures are accompanied by exquisite scenes from their lives and their environment. Images of has a unique elegance and light-bright palette, turning the manuscript into a real masterpiece of medieval painting (estimate - £ 800 thousand - £ 1 million 200 thousand).

- One of the most famous books of Italian Renaissance is a novel-treatise "Hypnerotomachia Poliphili" (estimate - £ 220 thousand - £ 260 thousand). Put up for auction a copy formerly belonged to the most famous bibliophile of all time, Jean Grohl, and subsequently - Earl Spencer.