Ornamental Initial "I": Individual sheet from a liturgical manuscript - antiphonary - on parchment. Bologna, 1320-40 Writing in red and sepia brown / black Music notation in brown / black sepia Leaf of a large choir book with a magnificent "I"-initialmarking the beginning of the Introitus of St. John Apostle. The ornate, tall initial "I" sits on a blue field with white tracery.

Illuminated Manuscript: Ornamental Initial "I":

$2,800.00

Shipping and Taxes calculated at checkout.

Ornamental Initial "I":

Individual sheet from a liturgical manuscript - antiphonary - on parchment.

Bologna, 1320-40

Writing in red and sepia brown / black

Music notation in brown / black sepia

Leaf of a large choir book with a magnificent "I"-initialmarking the beginning of the Introitus of St. John Apostle. The ornate, tall initial "I" sits on a blue field with white tracery. The center of the initial is decorated entwining ribbons also adorned with white tracery. The leaf gold applied to the initial emphasizes its high value.

Verso two smaller initials "B" and "E", adorned with pen work in their centers and along their outlines, initiate new verses. Four-line staff as red lines with music notation in neumes script.

Condition:

Parchment shows traces of age and use. The real gold slightly rubbed as it touched opposite book page as the pages were turned while the book was used. Smudging in lower corner from turning pages. Missing upper left corner was replaced expertly with parchment. Considering age of ca. 700 years condition is very good.

Sheet size 53,3 x 37,3 cm (ca. 21 x 14.7")

one of our Twitter followers offered the following correction: “Not an antiphoner, which is music for the Office, but a gradual, music for the Mass, since it gives the end of a Communion, an Introit, and the beginning of a Gradual.”