Opulent and Glittering

TEXT FROM COMPLINE, HOURS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

A FINE MEDIEVAL ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAF FROM A HEAVILY DECORATED BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN.

(Paris: ca. 1430). 191 x 140 mm. (7 1/2 x 5 1/2"). Single column, 16 lines, in an elegant gothic book hand.

Rubrics in gold, line-fillers with color foliate and geometric designs on burnished gold ground, three two-line initials in blue or pink enclosing colored vines with foliage on gold ground, BOTH SIDES WITH A DENSE RINCEAUX BORDER consisting of colorful acanthus, flowers, and many hairline vines terminating in gold leaves, ivy and seed pods, and with numerous gilt bezants.
IN BRILLIANT CONDITION.

This is an extraordinarily fine and opulently decorated leaf from a Book of Hours, with glittering rinceaux borders, delicate initials, and luxurious gold rubrics. These sumptuous details and the high quality of the work indicate that this leaf was part of a costly manuscript commissioned by a wealthy patron. Other leaves from the same parent manuscript were sold at Bloomsbury on 6 December 2017, lots 63 and 64. One of those leaves showed St. Genèvieve leading the female saints in the Litany, pointing to Paris as the place of origin. (ST20979b)

Price: $1,600.00