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Breviary, circa 1400 A.D. A decorative leaf from a Breviary in Latin dating to around 1400 A.D. from Northern France is shown above. A breviary is a book of the daily Divine Office in the Catholic Church, used primarily by priests. It contains the texts used for funerals and saints' days, but not the Mass or Communion services. This example, given its minute size, was probably intended for lay use.
The large blank space above the text is unusual. It indicates that an illumination was planned but never executed.
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Book of Hours, Northern France, circa 1450 AD This image is of a full-page miniature painting of the Crucifixion from Northern France, from around 1450 A.D. This leaf was originally in a Book of Hours. The image marks the beginning of the Hours of the Cross.
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Psalter and Prayerbook, Northern Germany, circa 1524 This leaf is from Northern Germany, possibly Hildesheim, from around 1524 and is from a Psalter and Prayerbook in Latin, with a gold leaf border. A Psalter is a book of Psalms, and could have been used by members of the clergy or lay people.
Three pages of same manuscript leaves at Cleveland Museum of Art.
Catalogue also describes this manuscript.
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Book of Hours, France, circa 1530 AD This leaf is from a Book of Hours in Latin from France, possibly from the cities of Tours or Paris, from about 1530 A.D. This example has several decorated initials.
The design of this leaf is similar to two leaves offered for sale by Sotheby's in 2003, associated with "Dr. Myra Orth's so-called 1520s workshop." The most famous example of this workshop is the Doheny Hours, sold in 1998 by Sotheby's. The device of the knotted rope and the restrained colors used may indicate "that the patron was a member of the Cordelieres, the order of Franciscan Tertiaries to which the women of the French royal family belonged."
This leaf we have is not representative of the manuscript as a whole, some are highly illustrated and colorful, others are very plain.
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Gospel Lectionary, circa 1026 AD A LARGE LEAF FROM AN EARLY GOSPEL LECTIONARY. WITH TEXT FROM THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. (Italy, ca. 1150) 13 x 9 1/4". Single column, 22 lines, in an extremely fine late Carolingian hand. WITH A HANDSOME SIX-LINE DIVIDED INITIAL "I" in blue and red with a trailing penwork extension along the lower two-thirds of the leaf. Matted.
Just a hint of marginal soiling, but IN VERY FINE CONDITION, THE LOVELY SCRIPT PERFECTLY CLEAR, and the vellum bright and generally quite preserved.
