An outstanding renaissance illuminated manuscript has been reassembled for the first time and has had its patron identified, following thirty years' research

An outstanding renaissance illuminated manuscript has been reassembled for the first time and has had its patron identified, following thirty years' research. This work of Hours is made up of sixteen known miniatures by the agency of Jean Bourdichon of Tours (1457-1521) the first being Louis XII Kneeling in Prayer (detail, right), which identifies the king as the patron. There was no conception that the volume had existed until 1973, when Janet Backhouse of the British Library realised that seven miniatures held in various collections must one time have illustrated a manuscript be in possession ofed by the library. Nine further images were identified, the last in 2003 being the picture of Louis, until when the manuscript was assumed to have been made for Henry VII of England. 'A masterpiece reconstructed: The Hours of Louis XII' render free of accessed at the Getty Museum, beholds Angeles, on 18 October and continues until 8 January 2006 It travels to the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2 February 2006-1 May 2006

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