1450-75 Book of Hours Leaf - Beautiful borders - Psalm

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Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of red ruled text written in Latin on animal vellum in brown ink on both sides of the leaf. (Size: 184 x 125mm – 7 ¼ x 4 7/8’’) 

Nine one-line illuminated initials and eight line extenders 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.                            

Produced in France (Anjou), Use of Angers, c. 1450-75.

The one-line illuminated “Q” begins Psalm 23 (King James 24) 2-8: “Quia ipse…” (For he hath founded it upon the seas; and hath prepared it upon the rivers. Who shall ascent into the mountain of the Lord: or who shall stand in this holy place? The innocent in hands, and clean of heart, who hath not taken his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully to his neighbor. He shall receive blessing from the Lord, and mercy from God his Savior. This is the generation of them that seek him, of them that seek the face of the God of Jacob. Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, O eternal gates: and the King of Glory shall enter in…).

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

  • Inventory# IM-12512
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