Leaf of a huge Gradual, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (Ferrara), 15th century (second half)]

Property from the Brooklyn Museum, sold to support Museum Collections

Leaf of a huge Gradual

in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (Ferrara), 15th century (second half)]

c.570×405mm, six lines of text and music in square notation on four-line red staves, the verso illuminated with a very large foliate initial ‘D’ and partial border introducing the Introit for the feast of John the Baptist (‘De ventre matris …’), with contemporary foliation ‘xxxviii’ in red ink in outer margin; minor cockling and minor staining at the edges, the gold with some flaking but the colours in good condition

PROVENANCE 

1. From the same manuscript as the next lot

2. Miss Mary Benson, of Brooklyn; bequeathed in 1919 to the Brooklyn Museum of Art, Inv. no. 19.79.1 (presumably de Ricci, Census, p. 1195, no. 12, but he records only one leaf and gives the dimensions as 56×39cm)