A king and queen enthroned (perhaps Salomon and the Queen of Sheba), leaf from an illuminated manuscript on vellum [France (perhaps Lyons), c.1485]

a leaf, 165mm. by 115mm., full page miniature with both figures in sumptuous robes, wearing golden crowns, seated on a large throne with an ornamental carved canopy, male and female courtiers looking on from behind, within architectural frame of dull-gold with black ink and liquid gold strokes picking out four carved figures on pedestals all contemplating the miniature, laid down on wooden panel, some scuffs and vertical crack in panel affecting leaf, else fair condition, partially gilt frame

provenance

1. Most probably Christian August of Schleswig-Holstein-Gottorf (1673-1726), fürstbischöf of Lübeck from 1706-26: the wax seal of the fürstbischöf on the reverse of panel. The bulk of his art collections remain in the castle of Eutin in his fiefdom of eastern Holstein.

2. Halvor Bagge (1866-1939) of Copenhagen.

3. Helen Schou (1905-2006) of Copenhagen, who acquired a number of Renaissance and baroque pieces from the Bagge collection.

illumination

This rare and striking scene was illuminated in Lyons, in the circle of the Master of Guillaume Lambert, most probably by the artist identified by Elizabeth Burin as the 'Getty Master', named after J. Paul Getty Museum MS 10, dated 1478 (cf. Burin, Manuscript Illumination in Lyons, 1473-1530, 2001, pp.87-89, no.19). To judge from its size, the manuscript was probably a Book of Hours, but the subject appears to be without obvious precedent.