King Solomon, a historiated initial on a leaf from the Chester Beatty Bible, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [northern France (Paris), c.1250-60]

single leaf, 235mm. by 160mm., with a 10-line historiated initial ‘V’ in blue on a red ground with white penwork decoration, framed with a border in burnished gold with a foliate extension, enclosing the seated figure of King Solomon (commonly believed to be the author of Ecclesiastes), looking intensively at an imaginary interlocutor with his lips slightly parted as if he was about to speak, against a blue ground, double column, 51 lines, written space 172mm. by 110mm., capitals stroked in red, rubrics in red, running titles and chapter number in alternate red and blue, 3- to 5-line initials in red or blue on contrasting grounds with white penwork with tendrils and gold bezants, foliate decoration partly including animal heads, large initials framed with a border in burnished gold, inscribed in pencil in upper right corner on recto ‘54’ and ‘279’ and in lower right corner ‘MS 3669’, lower border creased and faint stains from previous mounting in margins, else in excellent condition

This leaf was fol.54 from an imperfect Bible which once belonged to Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968; his MS.W.116, and exhibited in Trinity College, Dublin, in 1955, no.10). It was sold in our rooms, 3 December 1968, lot 14. Subsequently, a number of single leaves appeared for sale in Folio Fine Art, cat.63, May 1969, nos.761-4, Maggs, Bulletin 7, 1971, nos.1-2 (another appearing in Bulletin 15, 1998, no.13) and Alan Thomas, cats.22, no.1, and 23, nos.21-2. Some complete biblical books from the same manuscript were also extracted, bound up and came separately to the market (the Book of Revelations in Maggs, Bulletin 15, 1998, no.12; Gospel of John in Kraus, cat.188, 1991, no.8; the Apocalypse in our rooms, 1 December 1998, lot 71). The illumination has been ascribed to the so-called Dominican Painter, an artist of high quality named by Branner (Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis, 1977, pp.118-22). He describes him as a rare and original painter with an innovative approach to illumination. His figures are shown in elegant postures, and there is a subtle sense for fine drawing and flowing draperies.