A MONK READING A BOOK, historiated initial ‘G’ cut from an illuminated choirbook and a GROUP OF LEAVES FROM MEDIEVAL MANUSCRIPTS [Europe, 15th century]
A small collection of leaves and cuttings from English, French, Dutch and German medieval manuscripts, including:
- 1) A MONK READING A BOOK, historiated initial ‘G’ cut from an illuminated choirbook on vellum [Germany, final quarter 15th century]. A charming, colourful and unusual miniature of regional German production, with text on the verso for the second mass of Christmas ‘Gemit capta pestis [...]’ and Hufnagel notation.
Measurements: 149 x 142mm.
- 2) A CALENDAR LEAF FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL, from a Book of Hours or a Psalter [England, probably London, mid-15th century]. The feast for Saint Erkenwald, bishop of London, is in red, which gives us a clue as to a possible localisation for the parent manuscript.
Provenance: a 16th-century manuscript note in the margin: ‘[natus] fuit Thomas filius [Gilberti] Mather anno 1546 [...] de Easton iuxta Winton’ - 'In the year 1546 was born Thomas, son of [Gilbert] Mather of Easton near Winchester'. This is a note by GILBERT MATHER of Easton, near Winchester, recording the birth of his son Thomas on 19 April 1546. Similar notes by Mather appear throughout a printed Breviary now at the Bodleian Library.
Measurements: 295 x 182mm.
- 3) A LEAF FROM A DUTCH BOOK OF HOURS [Netherlands, 15th century].
Measurements: 193 x 148mm. Ruled space: 88 x 63mm. 19 lines of text,
- 4) A LEAF FROM A FRENCH BOOK OF HOURS [France, 15th century].
Measurements: 229 x 156mm. Ruled space: 124 x 79mm. 18 lines of text. Adhesive marks to upper margin.
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