SUMMARY

The Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis located in the collection belonging to the Multnomah County Library is an excellent representation of a common Book of Hours that would be seen in fifteenth century France. This book contains all the basic elements of a standard Book of Hours. The beautiful miniatures, elegantly embellished initials, ornate borders, and gothic script provide an excellent example of the workmanship that went into these Books of Hours in the fifteenth century. “Books of Hours are now more widely scattered around the world than any other object made in the Middle Ages.” Many are in the hand of private collectors, though fair amounts are also in national and public libraries (Hamel). Patrons of the Multnomah County Library are fortunate to have access to such materials to gain insight to the time period.