Paperblanks Equinoxe

The complex rules governing life during Holy Week deserved to be preserved in a similarly elaborate binding. For many cultures around the world, the first full moon after the spring equinox is a sacred time. The binding reproduced here once contained "L’office de la Semaine Sainte," which explained the various rites and celebrations of the most significant days in the Christian calendar. The entire surface of the original binding was adorned in a fanfare style, a delicate, handcrafted pattern with gold trim. The "à la fanfare" style was popular from the late 16th to the early 18th century and required a high level of skill from the bookbinder, which is why it was used for extremely important books. The binding with a vine motif is a reproduction of an original from 1688 housed in the Museum Kunstpalast Düsseldorf.