Original leaf from a manuscript Spanish Antiphonal on animal parchment. (560 x 365mm – 22 x 14 3/8’’) The manuscript text and music (six lines of music on a red five-line stave) were beautifully executed by hand dark brown ink over 400 years ago!!!
Spain, c. 1525 –this leaf is from the Winter Volume (pars hiemalis) which comprised the Offices of Advent, Christmastide and Epiphany.
One illuminated initial in red with violet interior and exterior penwork; one illuminated initial in blue with red interior and exterior penwork.
This leaf continues prayers for the Celebration following Christmas Day.
The illuminated “A” begins “Alleluya…” (Alleluia. The Word became flesh, alleluia. And dwelt among us, alleluia, alleluia).
The illuminated “N” begins: “Nesciens…” (The virgin mother, without knowing man, painlessly gave birth to the Savior of the world; a virgin alone, from a breast filled by heaven, nourished the King of the angels).
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.
Antiphonals contain chants for the canonical hours of the Divine Office: first vespers or the vigil of great feasts, matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers and compline.
Shipped unmatted
