Sales catalogue: Sotheby's

Date:
April 1920
Reference:
WA/HMM/CM/Sal/20/463
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sales catalogue: Sotheby's. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    54/88 page 50
    Che Property of a Gentleman. SIZES MIXED, NATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [French, XVth Century], 105 leaves (64 by 44 in.), written in neat gothtce characters, 21 long lines to a page, with 14 large miniatures with full borders in the style of Jean Bourdichon, and 14 smaller miniatures ; the Calendar written in red, blue and gold, numerous small initials and two coats-of-arms ; (1) Or two bars azure, in chief a star, and (2) Vert, three seaur argent, painted in gold and colours, considerable textual ornament composed of flourishes in red, blue and gold exquisitely drawn ; tn one border a patriarchal cross with the initials I. F. at the foot, and in others the initials B. D., velvet with silver corner ornaments and clasps 8vo. XV CENT. A REMARKABLY FINE EXAMPLE OF THE BEST STYLE OF THE MINIATURIST’S ART OF THE LATE FIFTEENTH CENTURY, in good preservation. The borders are executed in the typical French style and are composed of conventional floreate scrolls with natural flowers and fruit, insects, gro- tesque and natural birds and animals ; others are painted in imitation of jewelled frames with pearls, amethysts, rubies, emeralds and heads in cameo. ‘The fine full-page miniatures represent: (1) St. John in the Isle of Patmos, before him a man and woman are kneeling; evidently the persons for whom the volume was executed, the border containing their initials and coat-of-arms ; (2) The Blessed Virgin and Child crowned by Angels, with the same two figures below as in the previous miniature; (3) The An- nunciation ; (4) The Visitation ; (5) The Nativity ; (6) The Angels appearing to the Shepherds ; (7) The Adoration of the Magi; (8) The Presentation in the Temple; (9) The Flight into Egypt; (10) Coronation of the Virgin Mary ; (11) The Crucifixion ; (12) The Descent of the Holy Ghost ; (13) David beholding Bathsheba bathing ; (14) Death with an arrow attacking a maiden. The fourteen small minia- tures represent St. Michael, St. John the Baptist, St. John the Evangelist, St. Peter and St. Paul, St. Sebastian, St. Anna, St. Katherine, St. Margaret, ete. There is a very full Calendar. [See ILLUSTRATION |. VELLUM (23 II.) written in a bold gothic hand, the first page finely illuminated in gold and colours, and consisting of a large miniature of the Virgin and Child enthroned, with
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