St. Stephen, historiated initial, on a leaf from an illuminated Gradual, on vellum [north east Italy (probably Veneto), c.1460]

a single leaf, 580mm. by 395mm., with a large initial 'E' (opening "Et enim sederunt ...", the introit for the feast of St. Stephen), in pink enclosed within blue and green acanthus leaves, all on a burnished gold ground, the saint in a dalmatic and holding a palm of martyrdom as two stones strike his head, before a night sky with the clouds opening to reveal rays of gold descending, acanthus leaf extensions into borders and large bezants, rubric in red, 5 lines of text with music on a 4-line red stave, 6 lines of text and music and "xxxiii" in red on verso, slight fading to occasional acanthus-leaf and small stains, else excellent condition

Other leaves from this manuscript were in the collection of Captain Samuel Allen (1841-1942); his sale in our rooms, 30 January 1920, lots 122-26; one later reappearing in Les Enluminures, cat.10, no.38. This leaf was Maggs, European Bulletin 18, no.9 (illustrated on the back cover).