c 1470-1490 Gregorian Chant - Italy - Elaborate Initials

$0.00

Original leaf from an Italian Antiphonal on animal parchment. (590 x 420mm – 23.25 x 16.5”)

The manuscript text & music (five lines of music on a four-line stave) were beautifully executed by hand in dark brown ink on a red stave in large gothic hand.                                                  

 Italy (Florence?), c. 1470-1490.

Two exceptional large initials alternating in deep blue with intricate external and internal red penwork with an internal green circle and red with intricate external and internal blue and yellow penwork.

This leaf continues the Feast of Saint Vincent Ferrer . The text begins: “[Christi] preco cum predicat…” (A herald of Christ as he preached. Dominic, his leader, visited him here on earth, alleluia).

The elaborate illuminated “C” begins “Candens virgo…” (Radiant with virginity, by divine power he casts out the enemy from those who are tormented).

Closely related in style and size to the initials in a group of leaves from a choirbook known to be illuminated in Florence by Frater Julianus de Florentia (Guliano Amidei?) c.1470. Examples are illustrated in Ferrini, 1987, Catalog One # 60 and Quaritch Medieval Manuscript Leaves, No 50, p 37. 

Antiphonals contain chants for the canonical hours of the Divine Office: 1st vespers or vigil of great feasts, matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers & compline.

As is usual with Medieval and Renaissance parchment, the hair side of the leaf is darker than the flesh side, but may take ink somewhat better.  The differences in tone caused scribes to arrange their quires so that the hair side of one sheet faced the hair side of the next, and the flesh side faced the flesh side.

A large leaf with two very attractive initials that had considerable devotional use. The black ink of the text shows areas of erosion on both sides.

Shipped unmatted

  • Inventory# IM-12866
Sold Out