Original leaf from a medieval Choirbook. This musical leaf was executed by hand in manuscript calligraphy on animal parchment. (480 x 350mm – 18 ¾ x 13 ¾’’) .The music and text (six lines written in rounded gothic script) were written in black ink on a four-line stave, with headings and rubrics in red.
(Austria or possibly Hungary?), c. 1400-25.
The miniature painting in the lower half of the initial “S” depicts The Pentecost with Mary in the center, surrounded by apostles and others. Beneath the initial (lower left) is a face gazing towards the border. The upper portion of thehe historiated initial “S” was excised in the distant past and filled with a piece of plain parchment.
The elaborate vine border contains numerous angels and saints - including St. Michael the Archangel (top), St. Margaret (fourth from top) and St. Catherine (fifth from top). The three angels at the bottom are playing musical instruments. This highly decorated leaf is illuminated in tempera colors of red, yellow, green, blue, pink and violet.
The historiated “S” begins: “Spiritus...” (The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world,alleluia...).
Provenance: ex Goodspeed’s Bookstore – Boston.
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.
A magnificent and colorful leaf in an unusual style. Though the condition has suffered, it is still very attractive and presentable. There is rubbing and loss of pigment, and three of the borders are cropped with loss (probably during rebinding of the parent choirbook).
Shipped unmatted
