Sold Antiques

(170 x 130mm) Original leaf from a medieval manuscript Book of Hours. 14 lines of text, ruled in red, written in Latin with dark brown ink in gothic textura script on animal vellum.

The top edge is slightly irregular, some minor soiling and rubbed text, with miniature still in excellent condition. Flanders or Northern France, c. 1420. Ex collection Dr. Robert Parsons; Pirages 1999 Catalog 44 #538.

The miniature depicts the Annunciation to the Shepherds. An angel, with banderol, appears in the heavens to the astonished shepherds. Many of the very small-scale sheep also seem whimsically astonished. One of the three shepherds holds a red bagpipe surrounded by surrealistic truncated hills resembling flourished green & ochre meringue. A flamboyantly Renaissance castle is in the background.

The miniature painting is set within a fine twining floral baguette in red, blue, green and burnished gold surrounded by a delicate rinceaux border in red, blue, green and burnished gold.

One four-line illuminated initial in pink with white penwork on gold ground with internal floral design in blue, red, white & pink.; one five-line illuminated initial in burnished gold on blue & red ground with white penwork extending into the margin in a floral rinceaux design in burnished gold, white, red and blue.

This leaf opens the Hours of the Virgin - Hour of Terce: "Deus..." (Incline unto my aid, O Lord...).

This leaf was written and illuminated in France at a pivotal point in the Hundred Year’s War - England defeated France decisively in Agincourt in 1415 and took Paris in 1420. Not until Joan of Arc’s heroism (1428-29) could France regain hope of restoring its capital. The book from which this came was likely in daily use at that time.