Original leaf from a manuscript Spanish Choir (Ferial) Psalter on animal parchment. (550 x 380mm – 21 ¾ x 15 ¼’’)
The manuscript text and music (on a five-line stave) were beautifully executed by hand over 450 years ago. Signed by the scribe “L. Ruiz” in one of the initials elsewhere in the parent manuscript!!!
Spain (Dominican Use), c. 1520.
One exceptional illuminated initial (6 ¼ x 6 ¼’’) in red & blue with elaborate internal & external penwork "puzzle design" (in the Moorish influenced Mudejar style) in red & violet. The internal design contains flowers, fruit & birds (including an owl). Surrounding the text is an elaborate border of fretwork & floral panels in red, blue & violet penwork with five saints painted in the roundels & a coat-of-arms bottom center. Two exceptional knot-work (cadel) initials, (recto) in dark brown or red.
This opening leaf begins: “Beatus vir. Seculorum”(Blessed is the man. For all ages). The first knot-work initial begins: “Pro fidei” (For the Faithful). The second “P” signals beginning of the Psalms: “Psalmus”.
The elaborate “B” begins Psalm 1:1-4: “Beatus vir…” (Blessed is the man who hath not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stood in the way of sinners, nor sat in the chair of pestilence…).
The psalms were central to medieval liturgy, and constituted the core of the Divine Office. In addition to the psalms, a ferial psalter, also known as a choir psalter, contained items of the Divine Office that did not change from day to day, often including the invitatories, antiphons, canticles, short responsories, hymns, and litanies.
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.
An unusual and highly decorated leaf of textual and visual importance. Evidence of devotional use - some rippling of vellum and outer margins cropped slightly into the border design.
Shipped unmatted
