Book of hours [leaves].

1530

"EXQUISITE TINY ILLUMINATED VELLUM MANUSCRIPT LEAVES, FROM A VERY FINE BOOK OF HOURS IN LATIN. (France, Tours or Paris, ca. 1530) 4 1/2 x 2 1/2." Single column, 21 lines of text, written in a very fine, tiny, upright humanistic hand. Rubrics in red, varying numbers of paragraph markers and one- and two-line initials in gold on a black ground or the reverse (and often with red filigree elaboration), frequent delicate line fillers in various combinations of gold, black and red, featuring knotted rope and pruned branch motifs, text on both sides within a knotted ropework border in gold and black with convoluted tassels at the bottom. IN EXTRAORDINARILY FINE CONDITION, ESPECIALLY FRESH, CLEAN, AND BRIGHT.

These leaves come from the celebrated atelier known as the 1520s Hours Workshop. Even though they do not feature any miniatures or historiation, it is not overstating the case to say that even these text leaves are exquisite. The tiny and beautifully regular script and the delicate initials and line endings are impressive manifestations of scribal artisans working at the very top of their craft during the final flowering of illuminated manuscript production in France."

Full pdf available, https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A439303/datastre...

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