Book of Hours with wonderful crane in margin - c 1240 - France

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Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 14 lines of French text, on animal vellum. (155x115mm – 6 ¼ x 4 ½’’) 

Ruled in red with dark brown ink, in fine gothic script, with rubrics (headings) in red. Significant damp staining along upper right quadrant of the leaf - nonetheless, a charming early leaf enhanced by two marvelous creatures.

France (Amiens?) c. 1240 – Very early (during the first period of transition from Psalters and Psalter-hours).  

Four two-line illuminated initials in mauve/blue & white on a burnished gold ground; three one-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on blue & mauve ground with delicate white tracery;

Recto (front) has a large crane in the margin – resting on the edge of one two-line initial & stretching upward to the first two-line initial; verso (back) has an interesting lion-like head in the margin attached to a long lord which descends & ends in leaves of pink, orange & burnished gold.

The two-line illuminated “E” continues the Fifteen Joys of the Blessed Virgin Mary -  “Etres douce …”. The prayer was one of the most popular of all accessory prayers – especially in fifteenth century France. It celebrates the joyous moments of the Virgin’s life. This is one of the very few leaves written in French – once the prayer was completed, the text reverted to Latin. 

Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-11783
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