Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of hand-ruled text written in Latin on animal vellum in brown. (184 x 125mm – 7 ¼ x 4 7/8’’)
One two-line illuminated initial in burnished gold on red and blue ground with delicate white penwork. The panel borders on each side of the leaf 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.
This leaf concludes the Third Gospel Lesson (Three Wise Men) – Matthew 2:9-12: “Viderant…” ([The star] which they had seen in the east, went before them, until it came and stood over where the child was. And seeing the star they rejoiced with exceeding great joy. And entering into the house, they found the child with Mary his mother, and falling down they adored him; and gifts; gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having received an answer in sleep that they should not return to Herod, they went back another way into their country).
The two-line illuminated “I” begins the Fourth Gospel Lesson – Mark 16:14-17: “In illo tempore recumbentibus…” (And at that time, Jesus appeared to the eleven a they were at table: and he upbraided them with their incredulity and hardness of heart, because they did not believe them who had seen him after he was risen again. And he said to them: Go ye into the whole world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved: but he that believeth not shall be condemned…).
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
