Original leaf from a medieval manuscript folio Bible with illuminations from the Johannes Grusch Workshop. Formerly owned by the Royal Abbey of St. Genevieve in Paris. Latin gothic script, in brown ink, on animal vellum. (290x190mm).
Rubricated chapter numbers, initials & marginalia in red & blue. 50 lines of text in double columns. **CONDITION NOTE: A six-line segment of the illuminated initial has been excised & skillfully replaced with another initial from the same manuscript a very long time ago**
France: Paris, c. 1247.
The exceptionally fine seventeen-line illuminated initial ''L'' is in blue, white, mauve, orange, & burnished gold – extending with the original illumination into the margin – at the top of the initial is a wonderful whimsical creature wrapped around the initial – looking into the text; At the top of the page is an intricate calligraphic initial with a face looking away from the text;
Three multi-line illuminated initials in red or blue with red & blue scrollwork –extending along the length of the text.
The large size of the page is unusual in 13th century Bible production!
The large illuminated initial begins Matthew 1:1 – 4:8 (STORY OF THE NATIVITY; WISE MEN; FLIGHT INTO EGYPT; BAPTISM OF CHRIST): ''Liber generationis…'' (The book of the generation of Jesus Christ…She shall bring forth a son: & thou shalt call his name Jesus. For he shall save his people from their sins…Behold there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem. Saying, Where is he that is born king of he Jews? For we have seen his star in the east, & are come to adore him…behold the star which they had seen in the east, went before them, until is came & stood over where the child was…).
Shipped in archival 16x12'' mat.
