The Ascension of Christ, from a Gradual, in Latin [northern Germany, 13th century]

single leaf, c.229x160mm, vellum, with a historiated initial ‘V’ (opening the introit ‘Viri galylei ... ’ for Ascension Day), 10 lines of text and music in Hufnagelschrift neumes on four-line red staves (rastrum c.12mm), 6 other large and small decorated initials, very worn, recovered from a binding, framed and glazed

Provenance: (1) Unidentified collector, with his blue ink stamp ‘M.B.’ within a circle. (2) Arthur Jubelt (1894–1947), German publisher, historian and mayor of Zeitz (with his faint green ink stamp); sold (in the same sale as a few other items from his collection) in our rooms, 18 June 1996, lot 14, to the present owner.

Iconography: The image is extremely unusual: it combines features that are normal for the Ascension of Christ (his feet disappearing as he ascends to heaven above the Virgin and apostles), with a distinctive feature of the Assumption of the Virgin: the belt, or ‘girdle’, that she dropped down to St Thomas as tangible evidence of her Assumption to heaven.