Très Riches Heures du duc de Berry Facts for Kids

Page from the calendar of the Très Riches Heures showing Jean, Duc de Berry's household exchanging New Year gifts. The Duke is seated at the right, in blue.

The Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry is a very special old book. Its name means "The Very Rich Hours of the Duke of Berry." It is a type of book called a Book of Hours. These books helped people pray at different times of the day.

This amazing book was made for Jean, Duc de Berry around the year 1410. He was a very important duke in France. Many people think it is the most important illuminated manuscript from the 1400s. Some even call it "the king of illuminated manuscripts."

What is an Illuminated Manuscript?
- The Art Inside the Book
  - Miniatures and Decorations
- Who Made This Masterpiece?
  - The Artists Behind the Pages
Where is the Book Now?
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What is an Illuminated Manuscript?

An illuminated manuscript is a book written and decorated by hand. The word "illuminated" means "lit up." This is because artists used bright colors and even gold to make the pages shine. These books were made before printing presses existed.

The Art Inside the Book

The Très Riches Heures has 416 pages in total. A big part of what makes it special is its beautiful artwork.

Miniatures and Decorations

About 131 pages have large pictures called miniatures. These are like tiny paintings within the book. Many other pages have fancy borders or special decorated letters. These artworks are small but show amazing detail. They are great examples of a style called International Gothic painting. The book also has 300 capital letters that are decorated.

Who Made This Masterpiece?

Creating such a detailed book took a very long time. Artists worked on it for almost a century!

The Artists Behind the Pages

Three main groups of artists worked on the book over the years. The first artists were the Limbourg brothers. Later, Barthélemy van Eyck added more art. Finally, Jean Colombe finished the book.