A precious casket on the outside, a miniature picture gallery inside.
Thus is Bonaparte del Perugino’s Book of Hours.
Absolute masterpiece of the Italian Renaissance period, the manuscript now kept in the British Library of London was created in 1503 upon the order of Bonaparte del Perugino, a young member of one of the most prominent noble families of Bologna. His intention was to make a true art gallery on parchment that included the cream of early Sixteenth century Italian art. To achieve this, del Perugino summoned the most famous and celebrated painters of his time and entrusted each with a whole page to decorate.