Biography

The Master of the First Maximilian Book of Hours was an illuminator active in the Netherlands in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He is credited with the decoration of the first book of hours commissioned by Emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg, from which his name derives. This master was part of the tradition of Flemish miniature workshops, famous for their skill in the illustration of religious and devotional books, which were highly prized among the European nobility. His work is characterised by precision of detail, complex composition of scenes and the use of vibrant colours.