Breviary of Isabella of Castile

This manuscript is a liturgical prayer book for the celebration of Mass, destined for recitation. It was a gift in 1497 to Queen Isabella of Castile (1472-1504) on the occasion of the wedding of two of her children to a son and daughter of Mary of Burgundy and Maximilian of Austria. The main illuminator of the manuscript was the so-called Master of the Dresden Hours, active in Bruges. One particular feature of his style was to treat the page as a solid background in which the place for the miniature was cut out, as in a passe-partout.

On folio 155v a magnificent floral and foliate border frames a scenes incorporating various episodes in the Old Testament. In the principal scene the tablets inscribed with the Ten Commandments are surrounded by musicians and David playing the harp.

Four of the more than 100 miniatures are ascribed to Gerard David.