The Crucifixion miniature from a Book of Hours most probably by the Dunois Master, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

single leaf, 204mm. by 149mm., on recto: three-quarter page arch-topped miniature within a liquid gold frame, miniature: 105mm. by 64mm., above a 4-line historiated initial in blue with delicate white penwork, enclosing an angel holding a spear and liquid gold crown-of-thorns, with 4 lines of text in light brown ink in a late Gothic bookhand opening 'Domine labia mea aperies ...' (the opening of the Hours of the Cross for Matins; slightly smudged), all within a full decorated border of acanthus-leaf sprays in green, blue, red and brown terminating in flowers and gold bezants, enclosing two large roundels, approximately 49mm. in diameter,  formed of intertwined bands of blue and light pink touched in liquid gold, and three small roundels, approximately 22-39mm. in diameter, and an ornamental bowl with flowers growing from it on a grassy hillock in the bas-de-page; on verso: two 2-line initials in blue or pink with white penwork and floral infill, all on liquid gold ground, four 1-line initials in liquid gold on coloured grounds with white penwork, line-fillers in same, one side with gold and blue border-frame from which grows a three-quarter decorated foliate border terminating in liquid gold ivy leaves and bezants, flowers and fruit, 16 lines of light brown ink, rubrics in red; some minor fading through exposure to light, and small dark stains to lower margins of leaf, paint flaking from Christ's face in main miniature and details of upper roundels, else in good condition, in gilded frame

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
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This is the Crucifixion miniature from a Book of Hours produced by the Bedford workshop, and most probably by the hand of the Dunois Master, c. 1430

illumination

The illumination is that of the so-called 'late style' of the celebrated Bedford workshop, and probably that of the master of that workshop himself. The Bedford Master was a Parisian artist perhaps to be identified with Haicelin of Haggenau, and known from such sumptuous manuscripts as the Bedford Hours (British Library, Addit. 18850) made for John, duke of Bedford, brother of Henry V and regent of France (see J. Backhouse, The Bedford Hours, 1990 for that manuscript); Paris, BnF ms. lat. 17,294; the Châteauroux Breviary (MS. 2 in the municipal library there); the De Lévis Hours at Yale (MS. 400); Morgan M.359 and the Sobieski Hours at Windsor Castle. The present leaf represents the 'late style' at its most luxurious, including distinctive features such as the roundels created from intertwined foliage branches with the small interstitial spaces between the branches touched in gold (see Backhouse, pl. 13 & J. Plummer, The Last Flowering, 1982, pl. 4 for comparison),  acanthus-leaf sprigs which shoot off at 45º angles either side of a vertical stem (see Backhouse, pls. 9, 10, 13, 16 & 20), and the burst of naturalistic foliage which grows from the base of the miniature in the centre of the bas-de-page (Backhouse, pls. 16, 18, 24, 29 & Plummer, pl. 3). Moreover, the figure of Christ on the Cross here is nearly identical to those in the Bedford Hours (fols. 144r & 240r; Backhouse, pl. 40); and scenes within two of the roundels of the present leaf (Christ being whipped and receiving the kiss of Judas), bear striking resemblances in composition and style to those on fol. 144r of the Bedford Hours. While clearly from the Bedford workshop, the illumination may actually be that of the Bedford Master's presumed son and successor, the Dunois Master, perhaps to be identified with Jean Haicelin.

The miniatures include:

1. Three-quarter page arch-topped miniature enclosing Christ on the Cross (105mm. by 64mm), flanked on the left by Mary Magdalene in blue drapery heightened with liquid gold and Joseph of Arimathea in a brown cloak heightened with green (both with burnished gold haloes heightened with liquid gold paint), and Jewish leaders in fine robes followed by Roman soldiers in medieval armour on the right; Longinus standing behind the crowd accompanying Mary and Joseph, with his spear still in Christ's side, and lifting a finger dripping with blood to his eye, all set in a grassy landscape strewn with bones, and before a hilly and tree-covered background, the wide open sky swept into a semi-circle around the drooping head of Christ, with a sun and a moon picked out in liquid gold either side of the Cross.

2. Large roundel in bottom left-hand corner of page (49mm. in diameter), enclosing Christ with a burnished gold halo kneeling in the garden of Gethsemane, his disciples (also with burnished gold haloes) sleeping beneath him.

3. Large roundel in bottom right-hand corner of page (49mm. in diameter), enclosing the kiss of Judas: Christ and Judas in centre of scene with a small squat soldier with a club at Christ's feet, disciples with burnished gold haloes to Christ's left, soldiers and a Jewish leader to his right.

4. Small roundel in middle-right of page (39mm. in diameter), enclosing Christ bound before a seated Pontius Pilate in blue robes with fleur-de-lys, with attendants behind.

5. Small roundel in upper left-hand of page (22mm. in diameter), enclosing Christ carrying the Cross being pushed and pulled along by two other men.

6. Small roundel in upper left-hand of page with Christ bleeding and tied to a stake (39mm. in diameter), a man at his feet tightening his bonds and two others either side of him whipping him.

7. An angel in white robes within the initial 'D' holding Longinus' spear in his right hand, and the Crown of thorns in his left, standing before a table covered in a decorated gold cloth, all before a background decorated with dots of liquid gold.