Rare Manuscript of the Czech Prayer Book

Exhibit of the Month 2 / 2021

The exhibit of the month of February is a rare manuscript located in the collection of the museum library of the Regional Museum and Gallery in Most. It was selected in connection with the celebrations of St. Valentine's Day, which falls on February 14, as although it is a book with purely religious content, on its first page there is a beautiful loving dedication to an unknown girl from the end of the 18th century.

This is a Czech prayer book, whose full title is “NABOŽNY SPUSOB KEMSSY SWATTE, KSPOWIEDJ W PRŽY GYMANI RANI A GYNY ROZLYCZNIE MODLYTTBY ODEMIE PŘZEPSANY W. SYLNYHO. ROKU PANIE A 1771.” The book was written by V. Silný in 1771 and is dedicated by the monogramist V. P. with congratulations to a maiden, whose name is not mentioned. On the first folio, this dedication is beautifully calligraphed in a pen-drawn frame, and its content is essentially a declaration of love from the unknown V. P. to this girl, whom he compares to a beautiful angel from heaven, and parts of the words in the text are replaced with painted hearts. For illustration, we provide a part of the original text: “Jdaucze Moge Cratturattzy odemme, Gako Krasny angel z nebe Pržygdaucze JYž W domu ttomu, Cžynicz wynssem SProstnym, mym [srdeč]nau Poklonu. Pročcžez ttakto mluwycy Wysocze obwzlasst Wažena Pano Kdyby [srd]ce Moge Mohlo Perem bytj…Adie W. P.”

The manuscript itself contains morning prayers, for mass, for confession, to saints, litanies to the name of Jesus, and litanies of Loreto. The text is written by a single scribe in brown oak gall ink. The title is in a richly decorated pen-drawn frame, and the section titles are in pen-drawn frames with floral motifs and decorative initials. Three engravings are bound into the manuscript. The binding is original, board, covered in black leather, and the covers are adorned with a stamped gilded frame with floral motifs. On the front cover, there are stamped gilded initials “M S” in a decorative circle, and on the back cover, the stamped golden year “1771”. The spine of the book has five bands, highlighted by stamped gilded double lines. The edges are gilded, decorated with embossing. Additionally, the manuscript is placed in a sturdy two-part sliding cardboard case covered in brown leather.

Text: Diana Kvapilová, photo: Pavel Krásenský