Original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible with illuminations from the Johannes Grusch Atelier. Red-ruled Latin gothic minuscule script written in brown ink on animal vellum.(150 x 100 mm - 6 x 4").
Rubricated chapter numbers, initials & marginalia in red & blue. 44 lines of text in double columns (12 lines per inch!).
France: Paris, c. A.D. 1240-50.
The five-line historiated ''V'' is in pink with white tracery on a dark blue ground, extending into the margin in pink, blue, gold & orange. The initial’s interior portrays Prophet Osee (Hosea) seated in colors of orange, gold, blue, pink & white.
One five-line illuminated initial in pink with white tracery on a dark blue ground, extending into the margin in blue, gold, pink & white - it is inhabited by a Lion in blue, gold, orange, pink and white.
Another five-line illuminated initial is in the same colors with an interior geometric design.
Text is from Daniel 14:33-41: ''Babylonem…'' ([Carry the dinner] which thou hast into Babylon to Daniel, who is in the lion’s den…the king said: Let all the inhabitants of the whole earth fear the God of Daniel: for he…hath delivered Daniel out of the lion’s den).
The inhabited initial ''V'' begins the Book of Osee (Hosea) 1:1 – 2:24: ''Verbum Domini…'' (The word of the Lord…).
The back (verso) contains a scribal omission added in the bottom margin – this omission is surrounded by a red box indicating that the ''transcription had been systematically checked for accuracy'' (De Hamel, Scribes and Illuminators, p. 43).
The book from which this leaf came was a very high-quality production, scribed in the Johannes Grusch Workshop in Paris.
Other leaves from this same book were exhibited in the Jeanne Blackburn Collection at the Cleveland Art Museum (pl. 7 & 8).
Presented in an archival 16x12'' mat.
