Original leaf from a printed & beautifully hand-illuminated Book of Hours. Twenty-eight lines of ruled Latin text, printed in red & black on animal vellum. (178 x 115mm – 7 x 4 ½’’)
Initials illuminated by hand in gold, on grounds of blue or sepia with delicate gold penwork. The paneled surrounds are historiated or inhabited. Printed by Gilles Hardouyn & hand-painted with rich sumptuous colors in the workshop of Germain Hardouyn - brother of the printer & a highly skilled illuminator.
Paris (Use of Rome), c. 1518.
The nearly full-page miniature painting depicts, in very dramatic fashion, John on Patmos Island surrounded by water, writing the Book of Revelations – his vision of the Apocalypse in a gilt-edged book. He sits beneath a tree while the eagle (his attribute) holds the inkpot and pen case. John gazes up to see of the Virgin of the Apocalypse: The haloed Virgin Mary dressed in blue and wearing a gold crown stands on a blue crescent moon and holds the haloed Christ Child in her right arm. They are surrounded by a mandorla with golden flames.
The illuminated “I” (verso) begins the first Gospel Lesson: John 1:1-14: “In principio…” (In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All thing were made by him: and without him was nothing made…).
Beneath the Miniature painting reads: “Initium…” (The beginning of the Holy Gospel according to John. Glory to Thee oh Lord).
Presented in an archival 14x11'' mat
