Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 18 lines of red ruled text, written in Latin, with dark brown ink in gothic script on animal vellum. (178 x 110mm – 7 x 4 5/8’’)
Two illuminated two-line initials, fourteen illuminated one-line initials, & five illuminated line-extenders in burnished gold on blue and red grounds with delicate white tracery. Quarter-page panel-borders contain an intricate floral motif with acanthus leaves, strawberries (symbol of perfect righteousness) and flowers in temperas and brushed gold. Small hole in margin of the vellum which occurred when the vellum was originally prepared.
Paris, c. 1450-60.
The two-line illuminated “L” begins Psalm 120 (King James 121) complete: “Levavi…” (I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains from whence help shall come to me. My help is from the Lord who made heaven and earth. May he not suffer thy foot to be moved: neither let him slumber that keepeth thee. Behold he shall neither slumber nor sleep, that keepeth Israel. The Lord is thy keeper the Lord is thy protection upon thy right hand. The sun shall not burn thee by day: nor the moon by night. The Lord keepeth thee from all evil: may the Lord keep thy soul. May the Lord keep thy coming in & thy going out; from henceforth now & forever).
The next two-line illuminated “L” begins Psalm 121 (KJ 122) 1-5: “Letatus…” (I rejoiced at the things that were said to me: We shall go into the house of the Lord…).
Presented in an archival 14 x 11'' mat
