Annunciation to the Virgin and All Saints, two historiated initials from Choirbooks, in Latin, illuminated manuscripts on vellum [northern France (Paris), c.1520-40]

two cuttings: (a) All Saints within an initial ‘G’, 125mm. by 132mm., a large group of saints, some identified by their attributes: Simon (saw), Paul (sword), Constantine the Great (cross), Dionysius (head) and Lawrence (gridiron), all on a tiled floor against a blue sky, reverse with three 4-line red staves with music and text in a gothic hand (part of Psalm 32, “Exultate iu[sti in domi]no rectos decet”), rastrum 22mm., in the lower left corner inscribed in pencil ‘M: 10,29’, rubbed and smudged in upper corner affecting mainly the head of Dionysius; (b) Annunciation to the Virgin within an initial ‘S’, 125mm. by 125mm., the Virgin kneeling in front of an open book and an elaborate flower vase with white lilies (the symbol of purity), raising her hands in surprise as the Archangel Gabriel enters the room from the right, the Holy Spirit descending as a white dove, slightly rubbed in upper corner, once laid down on paper with remains of printed text on otherwise blank reverse

Item (a) is related to the work of Jean Pichore who was a leading artist in Paris in the early sixteenth century. The style of item (b) can be linked to that of the closely related artist, Jean Coene (fl. c.1490-1530) with whose workshop he collaborated regularly. See also lots 61 and 62.