c. 1460 MEDIEVAL BOOK OF HOURS LEAF, FRANCE, ILLUMINATED BORDERS and INITIALS

Description

Illuminated Manuscript Book of Hours Leaf, France, c. 1460
Psalm 97 (King James 98) "Sing to the Lord a new canticle..."
I
M-13142
: Original leaf from a medieval manuscript
Book of Hours
. 14 lines, of red-ruled Latin in dark brown ink, written in fine gothic
lettre batarde
script on animal vellum.
SIZE: 115 x 85mm – 4.5 x 3.25 inches
France, probably Loire Valley, c. 1460
.
One two-line initial in blue with gold tracery
on a sepia ground with gold floral pen-work;
eight one-line initials and five line-extenders in gold
on alternating blue and red ground with gold highlights.
Rinceaux panel border decoration
on front and back of the leaf with burnished gold ivy leaves and a floral motif (
including strawberries – symbol of perfect righteousness)
in tempera.
The
two-line “C”
begins
Psalm 97 (King James 98) 1-5
: “
Cantata
…”  (Sing ye to the Lord a new canticle: because he hath done wonderful things. His right hand hath wrought for him salvation, and his arm is holy. The Lord hath made known his salvation: he hath revealed his justice in the sight of the Gentiles. He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel. All ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God. Sing joyfully to God, all the earth…).
Books of Hours are personal prayer books of a devout and status-conscious society and are not only works of art, but cultural documents of their time.  They reveal a unique combination of sacred and secular imagery - made of the finest materials, by the best craftsmen, for a small audience, which could both appreciate and afford them.
This Book of Hours leaf was scribed circa 1460.
This is a beautiful and highly ornamental original,
about 550
years old
, not a reproduction. It is in very nice condition as shown in the photos. The colors and gold are  fresh and bright.
It comes with a Certificate of Authenticity
.
We have been full-time dealers in Illuminated Manuscripts, Maps, Prints and Antiquities since 1980.