Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 15 lines of red-ruled Latin text, in dark brown ink, on animal vellum. (197 x 138mm).
One two-line illuminated initial in red with delicate white penwork & an interior floral design in red, orange and blue on a burnished gold ground; ten one-line illuminated initials & six illuminated line-extenders in burnished gold on red & blue ground with delicate white penwork.
The text is surrounded on 3 sides with an elegant rinceaux panel border in a delicate floral motif with ivy leaves in red, blue, green, orange & burnished gold, and one illuminated bar extends beyond the length of the text in red, blue & burnished gold.
Northern France (Paris), c. 1420-40.
Line one begins Psalm 123 (King James 124) 2-8: ''Nisi quia...'' (If it had not been that the Lord was with us, When men rose up against us, perhaps they had swallowed us up alive...Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth).
The two-line illuminated ''Q'' begins Psalm 124 (KJ 125) 1-3: ''Qui...'' (They that trust in the Lord shall be as mount Sion: he shall not be moved forever that dwelleth in Jerusalem. Mountains are round about it: so the Lord is round about his people from henceforth now and forever. For the Lord will not leave the the rod of sinners upon the lot of the just...).
Shipped in archival 14x11'' mat.
