Medieval Bible Leaf - Miniature of Prophet Amos

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A lovely original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible, written in Northern France (probably Paris), c. 1260. In Latin gothic micro-minuscule script, ruled in red and written in brown ink in two columns of 43 lines on animal vellum with rubricated chapter numbers. (156x103 mm).  

The calligraphy is excellent, and the vellum is of the finest quality, extremely thin and smooth. The gothic text is written in remarkably tiny & very well formed letters, so small that there are ten lines of text to the inch! 

One six-line initial contains a Miniature Painting depicting the Prophet Amos looking upward at the face of God, and two sheep in the lower right.  

Two four-line illuminated initials inhabited by a small whimsical creature and extending along the margins. One four-line illuminated initial in geometric design.  The initials are in colors of blue, red, pink, green, white and gold.

This leaf begins with text from Joel 3:2 – 3:18: ''Congregabo…'' (I will gather together all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Josaphat…).

The large historiated initial opens Amos 1:1-13: ''Verba Amos…'' (The words of Amos who was among the herdsmen of Thecua…).

The bible that contained this leaf was a very high-quality production, illuminated in Paris and similar to the accomplished work associated by Branner with the Dominican Painter (see Robert Branner, Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis).

Provenance: parent book was a ''portable'' Bible of the Crusades era, used in theology study or preaching of the Gospel around medieval countryside. It was in England by the 17th century; ex collection Lord Saltoun & later the famous collection of Wm Foyle (1885-1963) at Beeligh Abbey. 

Shipped in archival 14x11'' mat

  • Inventory# IM-5787
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