Original leaf from a manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of hand-ruled text written in Latin on animal vellum in brown ink with rubrics in red.(184 x 125mm – 7 ¼ x 4 7/8’’)
One five-line historiated initial in blue, red & white with an internal painting on burnished gold, two two-line initials, seven one-line illuminated initials & seven illuminated line-extenders in burnished gold on red & blue ground with delicate white penwork.
France (Anjou), Use of Angers, c. 1450-75.
The elaborate full border (recto) is a dense floral motif in red, blue, pink, green, liquid & burnished gold, with two amusing mythological drolleries (right & lower margins). Panel border (verso) contains a highly decorative floral design with flowers, berries, & acanthus leaves in blue, red, green, pink, & burnished gold.
The historiated initial depicts The Circumcision. The painting depicts the Christ Child sitting on the altar. Joseph stands between Simeon and Mary while a female attendant holds an offering basket of turtle doves. It is at this time Jesus was given his name – later celebrated as the Feast of the Holy Name.
The historiated “D” opens the Hour of Prime: “Deus…” (Incline unto my aid O God….).
The two-line illuminated “I” begins Psalm 125 (King James 126) 1-5: “In convertendo…” (When the Lord brought back the captivity of Sion, we became like men comforted…).
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
