Pair of illuminated manuscripts in gouache on vellum, circa 1470

This pair of gouache illuminations on vellum dates from circa 1470 and originates from Troyes. Each scene depicts figures in medieval-style costumes, dressed in shades of blue and green, set within framed compositions. One of the folios shows two standing figures, whilst the second depicts a man kneeling before a woman wearing a tall, dark headdress. The reverse of one of the frames reveals a handwritten text in ink in what appears to be Gothic script. Each miniature measures 9 cm on each side. Taken from a Book of Hours, these works bear witness to the cultural climate of late 15th-century Troyes, characterised by its citizens’ interest in literature.