c 1240-50 Bible Leaf - Miniature of St. Paul - creatures

$2,800.00

Original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible with illuminations from the Johannes Grusch Atelier. Red-ruled Latin gothic minuscule script written in brown ink, on animal vellum. (150 x 100 mm - 6 x 4"). Rubricated chapter numbers, initials & marginalia in red & blue. 44 lines of text in double columns (12 lines per inch!).   

France: Paris, c. A.D. 1240-50. 

The eighteen-line historiated ''P'' is in blue with white tracery on a dark pink ground, extending into the margin in pink, blue, gold & orange –  the extender becomes a dragon in the same colors.

The center of the initial portrays Saint Paul seated, holding a book, illuminated in colors and gold.

One four-line illuminated initial in colors with the center inhabited by a dragon-like creature. Two two-line initials alternating in blue & red with pen-work extending along the inner margin.

This leaf begins with text from II Corinthians 12:1 – 13:13: ''Si glorian…'' (If I must glory (it is not expedient indeed): but I will come to visions & revelations of the Lord…).

The historiated initial ''P'' begins Galatians 1:1 – 2:10: ''Paulus…'' (Paul, an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ…).

The book from which this leaf came was a very high-quality production, scribed in the Johannes Grusch Workshop in Paris. Other leaves from this same book were exhibited in the Jeanne Blackburn Collection at the Cleveland Art Museum (pl. 7 & 8).

Presented in an archival 14x11'' mat.

  • Inventory# IM-3209