Original manuscript leaf from an important manuscript Choirbook. This beautiful four-line stave musical sheet is on animal parchment, written in liturgical gothic script. Interlinear musical notation is in black on a red four-line stave. (580 x 410mm - 22 ½ x 15 ¾’')
One elaborate 2.5'' square illuminated initial ''B'' in a floral motif and in colors of red, pink, brushed gold, orange, and green with white tracery, on a blue ground with white tracery, and surrounded by a border of burnished gold.
This beautiful four-line stave musical sheet is from a Gradual of the Benedictine Monastery of Santa Giustina of Padua, 1440-50.
A series of richly decorated choir books was made for S. Giustina in Padua in the early to mid 15th century. There are now four in the Biblioteche Capitolare in Padua.
This leaf was formerly in the collection of C.W. Dyson-Perrins (noted English collector of the late 19th & early 20th centuries).
The first line continues Psalm 33 (King James 34):18 ''Exaudivit…'' (The Lord heard them and delivered them out of all their troubles).
The large illuminated ''B'' begins Psalm 33:2: ''Benedicam…'' (I will bless the Lord at all times…).
As is usual with Medieval and Renaissance parchment, the hair side of the leaf is darker than the flesh side, but may take ink somewhat better. The differences in tone caused scribes to arrange their quires so that the hair side of one sheet faced the hair side of the next, and the flesh side faced the flesh side.
Shipped unmatted
