(177x125mm 7x5 inches) Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 22 lines, ruled in red, written in Middle Dutch with dark brown ink on animal vellum.
Versal initials alternate in red & blue. Elaborate illuminated and historiated borders in block group design of fine red & blue penwork interspersed with liquid gold bezants, arranged along either side of a narrow red frame, with liquid gold, rose, & blue, foliage & fruit. The feature of the emblematic border in the form of a figure with banderole, points to a unique group of prayer books produced in Delft and likely the Workshop of the Convent of St. Agnes. Delft, c. 1475.
The border banderole of text in blue ink is inhabited by the figure of an Angel with blue and green wings. For a sister leaf from the same manuscript, see Cleveland Museum of Art, Blackburn Collection, #55 (angel with blue and red wings).
The leaf opens the Hours of the Virgin – Compline - in Dutch. An elaborate five line initial “G” in blue with red, green, and gold decoration starts “God wilt…” (Incline unto my aid O God. O Lord make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father…).
The Dutch (Low Countries) were the first to break the tradition of using Latin in Prayer Books and Books of Hours. In England, France and Italy, Latin continued to be the primary liturgical language throughout the 1400’s.
Shipped unmatted
