Miniature prayerbook, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum

277 leaves (including 3 original endleaves at back), 50mm. by 35mm., a single leaf in gathering xxi cancelled, else complete, collation: i-xx^{8, xxi7 (last wanting), xxii-xxxiv8, horizontal catchwords, written space 33mm. by 23mm., 10 lines of dark brown ink in a small and fine late gothic bookhand, rubrics, significant texts and 1-line initials in liquid gold, numerous 2-line initials in liquid gold on tri-coloured grounds heightened with white penwork,} eight large historiated initials (5 or 6 lines in height) in green and blue with medieval jewels on gold grounds, foliate extensions of scrolling vines touched in gold ending in thistle-like flowers forming three-quarter border frames which enclose coats-of arms of the Sforza, Visconti and Colonna families, decorated frontispiece with complex 5-line initial in gold with a medieval jewel, flower and two pearls on burgundy ground with full border frame, gilt and gauffered edges, small hole in folio 70, last three endleaves with added prayers in Latin in early modern hand, outer edges trimmed by a few millimetres, some minor dampstaining to upper edges of leaves, else excellent condition, last endleaf with rustholes showing that original binding had metal corner-pieces and a central boss, nineteenth- or early twentieth-century black leather with marbled pastedowns and silver edges to boards, elaborate silver clasp with initials 'RIB' on inside, in fitted case

provenance

Almost certainly written and illuminated for the Italian noblewoman, Agnese da Montefeltro (1450-1520), wife of Fabrizio Colonna and daughter of Battista Sforza: a damaged Colonna coat-of-arms on fol. 1r (with a better preserved example on fol. 40r; a column or on geules) and a tiny profile portrait of her on fol. 1r; arms of the Sforza family, the mighty fifteenth-century lords of Milan, on fol. 26v (quartered with imperial eagles sable on or and basilisks on argent; Battista was herself a daughter of Alessandro Sforza, the first lord of Pesaro from the Sforza line and the brother of the dynasty's founder Francesco I Sforza), and of the Visconti (a basilisk on azure) on fol. 13r, who were incorporated into the Sforza family through the marriage of Francesco Sforza to Bianca Maria Visconti in 1441.

Agnese was a member of an important bibliophilic and military family. Her husband Fabrizio was the count of Tagliacozzo and grand constable of the kingdom of Naples. He was famed for his military and political prowess, appearing as the main speaker in Machiavelli's Art of War, a text that also cites him as an authority on military structure and strategy. Her daughter, Vittoria Colonna, was a poet, bibliophile and close friend of the artist Michelangelo, who addressed some of his finest sonnets to her, and made drawings for and of her. It is thus fitting that this exquisite little book was made for Agnese in Milan around the first decade of the sixteenth century. These years were troubled ones for the Sforza dynasty in Milan, whose influence was seriously threatened by the forces of King Charles VIII of France, and this volume may have been commissioned as a gift in order to remind her (and her powerful husband) of her ancestral links to Milan and its ruling dynasty.

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

text

The text includes a prayer to the Trinity with Psalms (fol. 1r); the prayer 'O Dulcissime domine Iesu christe qui es sponsus ...' (13r); the prayer 'Deus propicius esto michi peccatori ...' (26v); the prayer 'Domine ihesu Christi qui sempiterne verba ...', attributed to the venerable Bede, with important devotional phrases such as 'Heli heli lama zabathani' picked out in liquid gold (39r); the prayer 'Precor te piissime domine ihesu christe propter illam eximiam caritatem ...' here attributed to Pope Benedict XII (47r); the prayer 'Deus propicius esto mihi ...' attributed to St. Augustine (51v); the prayer 'Domine Jhesu Christe, rogo te ut amore ...' (60v); prayers attributed to St. Bernard (63v); Gospel readings and prayers (97r); the 'Obsecro te' (148r) and 'O intemerata' (158v); prayers to the Virgin attributed to St. Thomas Becket (165v); furthers devotions to the Virgin (168r); prayers to the saints, including Sebastian (188r), George (190r), Helena (202r), Catherine (204r), and Apollonia (206v); the Seven Penitential Psalms (212r); a Litany and further prayers (247v).

illumination

The historiated initials are the work of a skilled Milanese artist. The faces and hair of the figures shares a great deal with the work of the Master 'BF', but the use of pearls and jewels within the bodies of the initials points to a group of miniatures tentatively attributed to Taddeo de Scoriatis Milanese (Olschki, Wildenstein Collection of miniatures, pp. 106-11). The miniatures include: (1) folio 1r, 5-line initial in gold enclosing Christ on a liquid gold and deep blue background, all on burgundy ground, and with a full border enclosing a medieval jewel, seven putti, two griffin-like creatures, a small lamb and a tiny detailed portrait of the original female owner; with some loss of paint from initial and somewhat thumbed on edges; (2) folio 13r, 5-line initial in blue and green with medieval jewels on outer edges on gold ground, enclosing a bearded Saint-bishop, foliate borders on three sides enclosing the Visconti arms in upper border; (3) folio 26v, 5-line initial as above, enclosing a female saint holding a palm of martyrdom, the Sforza arms in foliage in bas-de-page; (4) folio 40r, 5-line initial as above, enclosing a naked putti carrying the Cross, arms identified as those of the Colonna in foliage in upper border; (5) folio 47r, 5-line initial as above, enclosing Saint Apollonia holding a book and her tooth in a pair of delicate golden pliers, a white veil with an inscription beginning 'Tanto ...' supported by two hands in the bas-de-page; (6) folio 51v, 5-line initial as above, enclosing a female saint; (7) folio 60v, 6-line initial as above, enclosing a female saint with long flowing blond hair; (8) folio 64v, 5-line initial as above, enclosing the Pentecost, with the Holy Spirit in the form of a white dove descending to the Virgin below, whose face peeps out of the window created by the initial looking straight at the reader, surrounded by saints, a silhouette portrait on red ground in the upper border; (9) folio 67r, 5-line initial as above, enclosing a female saint next to a pink tower (probably St. Barbara); (10) folio 220v, 5-line initial as above, enclosing King David in profile, with an alternative version of the Sforza arms (with three gold rings interlocking on geules in the place of the basilisks) in the bas-de-page; (11) folio 247v, 5-line initial as above, enclosing a crowned Saint-Pope, wearing the three-tiered papal crown.