A Book of Hours Leaf - c 1450-75 - Te Deum - Beautiful border

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Original leaf from a manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of red ruled text written in Latin on animal vellum in brown ink. (184 x 125mm – 7 ¼ x 4 7/8’’) 

Thirteen one-line illuminated initials and twelve illuminated line-extenders in burnished gold on red and blue ground with delicate white penwork. The panel borders contain a highly decorative floral design with flowers, berries, and acanthus leaves in blue, red, green, pink, and burnished gold.                                                                

France (Anjou), Use of Angers, c. 1450-75.

The one-line illuminated “T” continues the popular hymn of praise written in the fourth century – the Te Deum – “Tu rex…” (O Christ, thou art the king of glory! Thou art the everlasting Son of the Father.  Thou, having taken it upon thyself to deliver man, didst not disdain the Virgin’s womb.  Thou overcame the sting of death and hast opened to believers the kingdom of heaven. Thou sitest at the right hand of God, in the glory of the Father.  We believe thou shalt come to be our judge. We beseech thee, therefore, to help thy servants whom thou hast redeemed with thy precious blood.  Make them to be numbered with thy saints in everlasting glory. Save thy people, O Lord, and bless thine inheritance. Govern them, and raise them up forever. Every day we thank thee. And we praise thy name forever, yea forever and ever…).

Angers was the cradle of the Plantagenet dynasty and one of the intellectual centers of Europe during the reign of Rene of Anjou, (1434-80). When this leaf was scribed the two branches of the Plantagenet dynasty, House of Lancaster & House of York, were engaged in the War of the Roses.

Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-12516
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