Illuminated Initial (5 results)

Three-Quarter Leather. Condition: Good. Each Chapter Introduced By a Vignete Appropriate to the Subject, and an Initial Letter, Designed By Theophilus Fraconard After the Style of the Illuminated Manuscripts of the Fifteenth Century. Also Embellished with Large Engravings, (illustrator). No Date. (circa 1850). Embellished with large engravings executed by Sly & Linton of London, from the designs cheifly by the ancient masters, in addition to numerous other illustrations and highly finished portrait of our Saviour by D'Caisne, engraved by Watt. Binding is tight, Heavy shelf wear particularly on the corners. Name plate on spine misseng S1 7.

164 x 123 mm. (6 1/2 x 4 7/8"). Single column, 17 lines, in a gothic hand. Capitals touched with red, rubrics in red, one-line initials in red or blue, one two-line initial in blue, A VERY LARGE HISTORIATED INITIAL (approximately 60 mm. square) DEPICTING PENTECOST, the initial painted blue with white tracery on a burnished gold ground, surrounded by A FULL BORDER decorated with colorful acanthus, large flowers, strawberries, insects (including a grasshopper, fly, moth, and mosquito(?)), all on a liquid gold ground. See: Marrow, et al., "The Golden Age of Dutch Manuscript Illumination," nos. 79-81. âMargins just faintly soiled, gold very slightly rubbed, but IN FINE CONDITION, the initial and border beautifully preserved. This is an extraordinarily handsome leaf, featuring an oversized historiated initial depicting Pentecost, attributed to the circle of the Master of the London Jason. Our artist has made remarkable use of space, fitting 13 clearly defined people within an initial opening measuring 45 x 32 mm. The Virgin sits enthroned directly in the center, encircled by the Apostles dressed in blue, violet, green, and orange robes. Our artist cleverly adds a notch at the top of initial--like a cupola inside a chapel--in order to fit an image of a dove inside the scene. The figures show an impressive degree of individualization and emotional response as they witness the descent of the Holy Spirit; a few gesture in surprise, two lower their gaze, and some look up in awe. The work is stylistically like that of the Master of the London Jason, named for his work on the "Historie van Jason" manuscript now housed at the British Library. As Marrow et al. note, the Master's style is characterized by "somewhat short, heavy figures [that] are well formed and have unusual, slightly broad yet expressive faces with deep sunken eyes." Our leaf's enclosing border is of very considerable interest, featuring as it does naturalistic flowers, strawberry plants, insects, and a small, brightly colored bird, all painted in colors that perfectly complement the main scene. A very fine production all around, this distinctive, energetic leaf would make a notable addition to any collection.

Visible leaf: 245 x 187 mm. (9 5/8 x 7 3/8"); Frame: 380 x 315 mm. (15 x 12 1/4"). Double column, 30 lines in a very fine rounded gothic hand (a few lines of text in the same hand, but smaller). Mounted and in a simple but pleasing gold frame. Visible side with rubrics in red, one-line initials in burnished gold or painted blue, one two-line initial in burnished gold on a pale pink ground with white tracery, a lovely illuminated bar between the columns, with a central plant knot AND SPROUTING IN UPPER AND LOWER MARGINS CLUSTERS OF FLOWERS AND LEAVES IN VARIOUS COLORS AS WELL AS GOLD BEZANTS, outer margin with swirling penwork studded with gilt bezants running the length of the column, each penwork swirl enclosing a painted and gilt flower, with ONE FIVE-LINE HISTORIATED INITIAL DEPICTING ST. PAUL HOLDING A SWORD AND BOOK, the initial painted pink with green leaves and a blue and green acanthus extension on a gilt ground. âNot examined outside of frame, but in very fine condition: vellum slightly wavy, text in the bottom margin just a bit faded, but, by all appearances, A VERY CLEAN, BRIGHT LEAF, SPARKLING WITH GILT. Executed with great skill and delicacy and in sensitive Italianate colors highlighted especially by spring green and pink, the present leaf is from a manuscript intended for a powerful aristocrat. It comes from the celebrated Breviary illuminated for the chapel of the Marquises of Este, rulers of Ferrara and Mantua, a manuscript commissioned by Leonello d'Este (duke of Ferrara from 1441-50). Because the d'Este family kept excellent records, we have confidence that this manuscript was done for Leonello by Giorgio d'Alemagna, Bartolomeo de Benincà, Guglielmo Giraldi, and Matteo de' Pasti (see Toniolo, "La Miniatura a Ferrara dal Tempo di Cosmè Tura all'eredità di Ercole de' Roberti" [1998], pp. 19-20 and 76-77). The leaves show subtle variations in the style of the illuminations, a result of work done by a team of artists doing variations on a theme. At one time in a Spanish library, the manuscript was brought to Britain during the Peninsular War and came to be owned by the Rolls family, later Lords Llangattock, of Monmouth in Wales, from whom it takes its name. By the time the work reached Britain, most of the miniatures had already been cut out. The Breviary sold at Christie's on 8 December 1958 (lot #190) to Goodspeed's of Boston, who broke it up. The intact first quire of 10 leaves was purchased by Philip Hofer and given to Harvard (cf. Wieck, "Late Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts," p. 130 and fig. 74), and individual leaves appeared in 1967 in the catalogues of Folio Fine Art ("the quality of the leaves is extremely high"), Maggs Brothers ("of a very high quality"), and Alan Thomas ("of exquisite quality"). The present example is especially desirable for the portrait of St. Paul, who is depicted holding a sword and book, and whose carefully molded features reflect the growing interest in realistic portraiture in Renaissance Italy.

No Binding. Condition: Very Good. 1st Edition. Antiphonal. Leaf on parchment with historiated illuminated initial. Italy C15th Leaf size: 360mm × 260mm Frame size: 480mm x 365mm Full single leaf written on parchment in black and red ink, 15 lines on both sides of the leaf in late Romanesque rounded hand. A beautiful illuminated historiated initial blue 'H' on a background of gold leaf within which Christ facing in a praying posture with foliage spraying into the left hand margin. Framed and mounted in museum glass. The illumination appears to be later, maybe C16th but, if so, has been painted in style and in the space left for the original O illumination. Some old stains. An attractive leaf. The text "Post communionem, hĉc nos, quĉsumus, Domine, divini sacramenti perceptio." is a Latin prayer used in the Catholic Church during the celebration of the Mass. It is part of the post-communion prayer, which is said after the distribution of the Eucharist. The English translation of the prayer is: "Having received the sacrament of salvation, we beseech You, O Lord, that through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whom You have given us as a Mother and whose festival we celebrate, we may obtain with the help of Your grace the eternal happiness which it promises. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.".

591 x 406 mm. (23 1/4 x 16"). Five lines of text beneath five four-line staves of music, the text in a very large, clean gothic book hand. Rubrics in red, three large initials painted in red or blue with elaborate penwork in the contrasting color, the verso WITH A FINE MODERN REPLICA INHABITED INITIAL showing a young, strong, dark-skinned figure who appears to be Christ, considerable leafy foliage emanating from the letter up and down the left margin (the initial measuring approximately 95 x 110 mm.). Lower outer corner ragged, the hair side of the leaf with minor overall darkening, slight soiling, and faint wrinkling, but a leaf with no serious problems and generally pleasing, especially because the initial is in perfect condition. This is an authentic Medieval choirbook leaf from the 15th century, with text and music written out by Medieval scribes, but with an inhabited initial that was almost certainly added by a much later hand. Apparently, the painting was added in order to make the leaf more saleable (and it does, in fact, add interest to a leaf that otherwise might not attract a great deal of attention), though it is not easy to say exactly when or why the alteration was made--perhaps in the late 19th century, or perhaps even more recently. The artist involved did a remarkably good job of replicating the design of a 13th century Italian initial--the colors are just about right, and the white tracery is convincing--but the haloed figure inside looks a good deal more Pre-Raphaelite than Medieval. Issues of authenticity aside, we observe that the initial is adroitly executed and the paint carefully applied. We also sense a power and dynamism in the work; in such details as the thickness of the figure's neck and the profundity of his gaze, we feel the artist's visual message--that this is a strong, devoted, and determined Christ--communicated with powerful emotional impact.