A historiated initial on a cutting and three leaves from illuminated manuscripts on vellum [France, thirteenth to early fifteenth century]

Estimate

4,000 - 6,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

Vellum

a cutting, 140mm. by 130mm., with a large initial ‘V’ (opening “Viri galilei quid admiramini ...”, the introit of the Mass for the Ascension) in pink with foliate white penwork within a blue border with an animal mask biting a bezant in its upper left-hand corner, enclosing the Ascension, the saints with their cheeks dotted with red , gazing upwards with their hands clasped in prayer as Christ’s feet disappear into the sky above, all on a burnished gold ground with an angular lobed edge on the left-hand and lowest sides (cf. Pächt, Jenni and Thoss, Flämische Schule, I pp.147-8, pls.I and IV), trimmed to edges with 1 line of text remaining at top, remains on back of 4 lines of text in an angular early gothic bookhand with music on a 4-line red stave and single red rubric, nineteenth-century pen “No 4” on back, gold scuffed in places, small smudges, France or perhaps south-western Flanders, c.1300, first half of the fourteenth century; plus another 3 text leaves from illuminated manuscripts: (i) leaf from the prologues to Genesis, 293mm. by 198mm., with two small initials in blue and pink heightened with white enclosing sprays of coloured ivy leaves on burnished gold grounds, foliate extensions the entire height of the margin forming a text bar on one side of each column, enclosing a tiny dragon swallowing a bezant, running titles and chapter numbers in gold and blue with contrasting penwork, double column, 46 lines in a fine and elongated script, edges discoloured and torn in places, northern France, late thirteenth century; (ii) leaf from a Missal, 228mm. by 156mm., numerous initials in liquid gold on blue and pink grounds edged with white penwork, the larger ones with long flowing tendrils terminating in gold and coloured leaves and buds, line-fillers of the same, 21 lines in light brown ink, edges roughly cut with some damage to borders, Flanders, or perhaps north-east France, fourteenth century; (iii) leaf from a Book of Hours, 210mm. by 153mm., with a large initial ‘D’ in soft brown touched with white enclosing interlocking sprays of coloured foliage on burnished gold ground, text frame formed of gold and coloured bars on each outer side of text with gold and coloured ivy-leaves, smaller initials in red or blue with contrasting penwork, 16 lines of text, northern France, early fifteenth century