Portrait of a Young Man by Master of the View of St Gudula
dated probably early 1480s. This young man has a book in a heart shape in his hands, popular in the later Middle Ages. Such miniature books contained texts, prayers and psalms, often with appropriate decorations, for Christian devotion, etc.



The Book of Hours. Like every manuscript, it is unique. The decoration is minimal in many examples, often restricted to decorated capital letters at the start of psalms and other prayers, but books made for wealthy patrons may be extremely lavish, with full-page miniatures


such book looked heart shaped when open
























(Christie’s 28 June 2006, $28,800).
sources 1, 2

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