Nativity of Christ from the Book of Hours

Before the widespread use of the printing press, books were precious objects, written and painted by hand and reserved for clergy and the elite. For individual lay readers, the most popular devotional volume was the Book of Hours, which included psalms, lessons, and prayers to recite during the eight canonical hours of the day—regular intervals that mark times for worship. Opened to the third hour, this page is lavishly decorated with a golden border, a miniature painting of the Nativity, and a Latin invocation that reads, “Oh God, come to my aid” with an embellished letter “D” for “Deus” (Latin for God). Such pages were also used to teach children to read. The word “primer” comes from “Prime,” the name of the hour displayed here.

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