A Saint (John the Baptist?) Directed to Bologna by Angels, historiated initial from an Antiphonary, in Latin [Italy (Bologna), c.1360-65]

cutting, c.145x95mm, vellum, historiated initial 'L'(?) by an artist in the CIRCLE OF NICCOLÒ DI GIACOMO, reverse with part of two lines of text and music on four-line red staves (rastrum c.42mm), rubbed and creased

From a priv. UK coll.

There is not enough text on the reverse to confidently identify the feast-day that the initial illustrates. To judge by his hairy cloak the saint is St John the Baptist; one of the three angels points him towards a large city gate, and the illuminator has clearly based the city's skyline on his own home town, Bologna, with its two prominent towers known as the Torre Asinelli.