One of the most exuberant Northern Netherlandish manuscripts from the second half of the 15th century is this Book of Hours. It contains seven full-page miniatures and 28 historiated initials on text pages, all accompanied by opulent decorated borders.
The miniatures illustrating the story of the Passion of Christ are especially remarkable because of their monumental, linear character. To achieve this the painter used the compositions of a series of prints by the Master E.S., an engraver working in the Rhineland between 1450 and 1467. Such copying from woodcuts and engravings was common practice among Northern Netherlandish illuminators in the second half of the 15th century.
The illustrator strengthened the outlines of his figures by offsetting them against large areas of pounced gold. On the Descent from the Cross reproduced here he used a wide horizontal band in the background, and surrounded the whole miniature by a gold band.
Another remarkable feature of his style is the horror vacui, the filling up of the whole available space, which creates a dense and overcrowded impression. This is particularly noticeable in the borders, which are by far the most extraordinary feature of the manuscript. The nervously curling, brightly coloured acanthus leaves have been studded with strange elements like mussels, butterflies, half-opened walnuts and insects, lending a somewhat bizarre character to the illustration.