A lovely original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible, written in Northern France (probably Paris), c. 1260. In Latin gothic micro-minuscule script, ruled in red and written in brown ink in two columns of 43 lines on animal vellum with rubricated chapter numbers. (156 x 103 mm - 6.2 x 4.1").
The calligraphy is excellent, and the vellum is of the finest quality, extremely thin and smooth. The gothic text is written in remarkably tiny & very well formed letters, so small that there are ten lines of text to the inch!
One seven-line initial containing a miniature painting of the prophet Jeremiah. One long, multi-line initial containing two creatures and extending along the outer margin. Both initials in colors of red, blue, orange, green, gray, white and gold. One multi-line illuminated Lombard style initial &elegant marginal penwork in red & blue.
This leaf contains text from Isaiah 65:17 – Jeremiah 1:7 ''Et non ascendent…'' (And they shall not come upon the heart. But you shall be glad and rejoice forever in these things, which I create…Thus saith the Lord: Heaven is my throne, and the earth my footstool…).
The Bible that contained this leaf was a very high-quality production, illuminated in Paris and similar to the accomplished work associated by Branner with the Dominican Painter (see Robert Branner, Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis).
Provenance: parent book was a ''portable'' Bible of the Crusades era, used in theology study or preaching of the Gospel around medieval countryside. It was in England by the 17th century; ex collection Lord Saltoun & later the famous collection of Wm Foyle (1885-1963) at Beeligh Abbey.
Presented in an archival 14x11'' mat.
