Original leaf from a French medieval illuminated manuscript Book of Hours. 13 lines of hand-ruled text written in Latin with dark brown ink in fine lettre bâtarde script on animal vellum with rubrics in red.
Beautifully embellished with one two-line illuminated initial, four one-line illuminated initials and three line extenders in burnished gold on a red and blue ground; bar border (verso) in a colorful floral design on liquid gold ground.
Origin: Paris, France circa 1500.
Size: 110 x 75mm – 4.25 x 2.9 inches, from a diminutive manuscript likely written for a lady.
The one-line illuminated “T” continues the hymn O With What Glorious Luster thou Shinest “Tu cum virgineo…” (Keeping thy virginal honor unspotted E'en in thy motherhood, chastely thou gavest Shrine for the Holy One, Lord of the Angels; Thus in humanity God was incarnate; Whom the whole universe lowly adoreth, Duly on bended knee tendering homage:
We on thy festival pray him to grant us Light and felicity, darkness dispelling. This, of thy clemency, Father of glory, Grant through thine only Son, who, with the Spirit, Evermore one with thee liveth and reigneth In the bright firmament, ordering all things. Amen).
The two-line illuminated “D” opens Psalm 8: “Domine…” (O Lord our Lord, how admirable is thy name in the whole earth! For thy magnificence is elevated above the [heavens]).
Provenance: ex-collection of Brooklyn Museum of Art, acquired in 1919. Deaccessioned and sold to support the museum collection.
Shipped unmatted
