Original leaf from a manuscript Spanish Antiphonal on animal parchment. (600 x 400mm – 23 ¾ x 15 ¾’’) The manuscript text and music (seven lines of music on a red five-line stave) were beautifully executed by hand in black ink with rubrics in red over 400 years ago!!!
Seville, 1612 - Signed and dated by the scribe on the frontis “Simon Rodriguez Caravallo…en la ciudad de Sevilla, Anno domine 1612”.
Two illuminated initials in red.
This leaf concludes the Feast of Michael the Archangel and begins the Feast of St. Jerome. The illuminated “B” begins: Benedicite omnes…” (All ye Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord: sing a hymn, and exalt Him above all forever).
The illuminated “I” begins Ecclesiasticus (King James Sirach) 15:5: “In medio ecclesie…” (In the midst of the church she shall open his mouth, and shall fill him with the spirit of wisdom…).
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.
Antiphonals contain chants for the canonical hours of the Divine Office: first vespers or the vigil of great feasts, matins, lauds, prime, terce, sext, none, vespers and compline.
Shipped unmatted
