I have written about a dismembered Missal of Leo X several times, most recently here. Browsing images of cuttings in Parisian collections I came across this initial "P", in the Musée des arts décoratifs, shown above.
The online description is vague:
Unlike those previously found, the cutting consists not just of an initial, but also a border:
[Source] |
This is also the first cutting to show any evidence of music (a four-line red stave is visible to the right of the initial "P", with a musical note on the top line). I suspect it comes from the Prefaces which usually precede the Canon in missals, and begin "Per omnia ..." as in this example, which also has a priest doing something with the chalice:
[Source] |
-- two cuttings at Vassar College
-- one in the Wildenstein Collection, Paris
-- one sold by Maggs c.1970
-- one sold by Christie's in 2016
-- the present one, in Paris
Doubtless more will come to light ...
Dear Peter,
ReplyDeleteA great discovery as usual. Please add to your list of Leo X cuttings illuminated by Attavante:
Harvard University, Houghton Library, MS Typ 980
Images:
https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:11676299$1i
Record: http://id.lib.harvard.edu/aleph/011290135/catalog
London, British Library, Additional 21412, ff. 20-44
http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/record.asp?MSID=19068&CollID=27&NStart=21412
See the catalogue record's 'Notes' for a list of others.
Anne-Marie Eze & William Stoneman
Houghton Library
Thanks. I have always thought of those borders as independent panels of decoration, but some, such the middle one here: http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/ILLUMINBig.ASP?size=big&IllID=36538
Deleteand the left one here: http://www.bl.uk/catalogues/illuminatedmanuscripts/ILLUMINBig.ASP?size=big&IllID=36544
show clearly where there was once a decorated initial