Original leaf from a manuscript Book of Hours. 24 lines of text, ruled in red, written in Latin in an elegant angular gothic book-hand script on animal vellum; rubrics in red. (178 x 125mm – 7 x 5’’)
Two two-line illuminated initials, twelve one-line illuminated initials and nine illuminated line-extenders in gold on red or blue ground.
France: Rouen, (Use of Rouen) c. 1470-90.
Unusually vibrant and elaborate panel borders on recto and verso in colorful floral and geometric motif in red, green, blue and white on gold ground.
The two-line illuminated “B” begins the Canticle of Zachary – Luke 1: 68-79: “Benedictus…” (Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people: And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning: Salvation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us: To perform mercy to our fathers, and to remember his holy testament, The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us, That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear, in holiness and justice before him, all our days. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways: To give knowledge of salvation to his people unto the remission of their sins. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace).
A very attractive medieval leaf with extensive use of fresh bold colors and gold, and a well-known New Testament biblical passage. Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat
