Lot 18

Two gigantic leaves, one with an extremely large initial containing the Nativity of Christ, from an illuminated manuscript Antiphonal on vellum

Estimate

6,000 - 8,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

two leaves, each c.720mm. by 500mm. (915mm. by 680mm. framed), (1) extremely large initial 'R' (opening 'Rex pacificus magnificatus est ...', for Vespers on Christmas day) in soft marble-like beige with foliate designs picked out in light brown, 189mm. by 188mm., enclosing the Virgin and Joseph kneeling in adoration of the Christ child, who lies between them on a fold of the Virgin's cloak, all within a stable with a ramshackle thatched roof set on a series of neo-classical pillars with mouldings and armorial shields bearing the five wounds of Christ above each pillar, Bethlehem as a medieval walled town in background, all on gold ground, with full decorated border of foliage, highly stylised acanthus leaves, woody sprigs, poppies and other flowers, fruit, two butterflies and an owl-like bird, with two angels supporting a banner with the five wounds of Christ in the bas-de-page, entire border on striking deep blue ground and framed in liquid gold, with 6 lines in a large rounded Gothic hand with music on a five-line red stave, one calligraphic initial on recto and 2 on verso; (2) as above with full decorated border of foliage with similar angels supporting a banner with the five wounds of Christ in the bas-de-page, 2 large calligraphic initials on recto and 1 on verso; both with some cockling and flaking (including some minor damage to face of Virgin), and edges trimmed for framing, but still impressively large leaves in good condition, in large gilt frames

Catalogue Note

These are leaves from a vast Spanish antiphonal manuscript, one of a series of monumental liturgical volumes which survive today in a single Kyriale volume in the Beinecke Library, Yale, MS. 710 (L. Candelaria, 'An Unattributed Kyriale from Renaissance Spain: A Preliminary Report on the Origin of Beinecke MS 710' in Old Books, New Learning: Essays on Medieval and Renaissance Books at Yale, eds. R.G. Babcock and L. Patterson, 2001); and a number of leaves: Beinecke Library, Yale, MS. 794; Morgan Library and Museum, New York, M.887:1 & 2; J.P. Getty Museum MS. 61 (J.P. Getty Museum Journal xxiv, 1996, pp. 109-10, formerly sold in our rooms 21 June 1994, lot 69); and seven others in private collections listed by Candelaria, pp. 132-3 (none of which is either of the present leaves). The present leaves are from a manuscript bought in the late 1950s by Philip Duschnes from Arthur Rau, Paris, and sold to the Detroit Public Library; it was later re-purchased by Duschnes and dispersed as single leaves. When taken as a whole, the manuscripts contain Franciscan elements, arms similar to those of Toledo Cathedral, and indications of having been commissioned for a cardinal, and Candelaria has argued that the books were made for Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros (1436-1517), the religious reformer, archbishop of Toledo, twice regent of Spain, Cardinal, and Grand Inquisitor. He founded the Complutense University (currently the largest in Spain), and funded the Complutensian Polyglot Bible, the first printed polyglot of the entire Bible (completed and published in 1517).