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. Three one-line illuminated initials in burnished gold on a red and blue ground with delicate white penwork.
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 “Q” begins Psalm 94 (King James 95) 3-4: “Quoniam deus…” (For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. For in his hand are all the ends of the earth: and the heights of the mountains are his).
The next one-line illuminated “Q” continues verse 5-7: “Quoniam ipsus…” (For the sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. Come lewt us adore and fall down: and weep before the Lord that made us. For he is the Lord our God: and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand).
The one-line illuminated “H” begins verse 8: “Hodie…” (Today if you shall hear his voice, harden not your hearts).
Provenance: ex-collection of Brooklyn Museum of Art, acquired in 1919. Deaccessioned and sold to support the museum collection.
Shipped unmatted
