A leaf from an imposing Gospel Lectionary
Leaf from a Gospel Lectionary in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum [Italy, Piacenza(?), mid 12th century].
A very elegant and imposing leaf decorated with two large initials, from one of the finest manuscripts dispersed by Otto Ege.

c.330 × 240mm. 23 lies in an elegant rounded romanesque bookhand, the text comprising readings for Feria II–IV after Passion Sunday (John 7:37-39; 7:1-13; and 10:22-26, although the rubric for the last of these indicates Matthew), pencil foliation ‘36’, decorated with two large initials in red and blue (the upper extremity of one initial cropped, vestiges of typical Ege mounting-tape, but with wide, clean margins, and overall in fine condition)

Provenance:
(1) Probably written in or near Piacenza, to judge by the saints venerated on other leaves from the same volume.
(2) Erik von Scherling, Leiden bookseller: offered in his Rotulus, IV (Winter, 1937), no 1849.
(3) Otto Ege (S. Gwara, Otto Ege’s Manuscripts, 2013, HL3): leaves were included as no 3 in his famous portfolio of Fifty Original Leaves; the present leaf was one of those kept by his heirs and not sold until 1985: Sotheby’s, 26 November 1985, part of lot 42, bought by Maggs:
(4) Maggs, European Bulletin, 13 (1986), no 11:
(5) Colker MS 423; acquired in 1990 from Maggs.

The readings here include Jesus saying 'Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.'

For a discussion of the place of origin see the blog post for 29 May 2021 at mssprovenance.blogspot.com and for a list of leaves see mssprovenance.blogspot.com/p/otto-eges-12th-century-italian.html

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