Black books of hours
Black books of hours are a rare, luxurious type of Flemish illuminated prayer book. Their pages were vellum soaked in black dye or ink before anything was written or drawn, creating a striking, dramatic surface. The words were usually in gold or silver ink.
Only seven survive, dating from about 1455 to 1480. The parchment was treated with an iron-copper solution, which meant the pages could only bear gold or silver lettering. The process was expensive and damaged the parchment, so these books are scarce and often in poor condition.
They were made in the mid to late 15th century for high-ranking people at the courts of Philip the Good and Charles the Bold. Their unusual look made them highly valued, likely more prized than ordinary illuminated books.
The Burgundian court preferred dark, somber colors, and most surviving black books reflect that taste. Only the wealthiest nobles could afford such books, and the mournful color scheme of black with gold and silver matched contemporary fashion.
Some miniatures, especially in the Morgan Library’s Black Hours, resemble the work of a follower of Willem Vrelant, based on faces that appear in his known pieces.
Today seven examples survive, including the Morgan Library’s Black Hours.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 12:00 (CET).