A Very Impressive Historiated Initial,
Along with Instructions to the Illuminator

AN ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF WITH AN EXTRAORDINARILY LARGE HISTORIATED INITIAL, FROM A VAST ANTIPHONAL IN LATIN.

TEXT FROM THE OPENING OF MATINS FOR THE FEAST OF THE ASCENSION.

(1320s). 546 x 375 mm (21 1/2 x 14 3/4"). Single column, six four-line staves of music on each side with text underneath in a very clean, rounded book hand.

Attractively matted. Rubrics in red, some notes in blue, first two words of the text in large capitals with yellow wash and elaborated with many fanciful curling flourishes, two large maiblumen initials in red and blue, and WITH A HUGE HISTORIATED "P" SHOWING THE ASCENSION OF CHRIST (the main part of the initial, not counting the marginal flourishes, measuring about 107 mm. wide and 254 mm. long, including the thick descender). An early 2 1/2 x 5 1/2" vellum patch in the lower margin of recto, slight smudge in the cloud supporting Christ and on the face of the angel to the left, some wrinkling to the vellum, especially in bottom margin, the illuminated side with vellum grain lending a grayish cast, very small losses in the gold, but still a very desirable leaf, the memorable initial without any significant damage, the vellum clean and fresh, and the margins very ample.

The striking illumination here is in the style of Neri da Rimini (about whom, see Margaret M. Manion and Vera F. Vines, "Medieval and Renaissance Illuminated Manuscripts in Australian Collections," cat. item 8, figs. 32-39 and plate 8). Manion and Vines describe Neri as "a miniaturist active ca. 1300-22 who was a major contributor to the new developments towards gothic naturalism which took place in Italian illumination during the first two decades of the 'trecento,' paralleling and interacting with the innovations in fresco and panel painting associated with the influence of Giotto and painters at Assisi and Rimini." At the same time, it is easy to see the influence of Byzantine models here. Our initial may have been done by an associate of Rimini's, someone who has been identified as the so-called Master of the Fulget, whose work has been distinguished by an inclination for brighter and more varied colors (see R. Gibbs, "Neri da Rimini," 1995, pp. 80-81). The initial here is exceptionally large and deserves the focus of attention it receives. But a less noticeable feature in the upper left margin should not be overlooked. It is there that we can find instructions to the illuminator--a readily apparent "p" to indicate the letter needed and a faintly visible "ascensione d'iesu" to indicate the subject matter. For a discussion of written (and visual) directions to the illuminator, see "Medieval Illuminators and their Methods of Work" by Jonathan J. G. Alexander. One other feature to mention here is the uncommon use of blue neumes in the first two lines of the Responsory. (ST11204)