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Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes, historiated initial on a leaf from an illuminated manuscript Bible in Latin on vellum
Estimate
1,200 - 1,800 GBP
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Description
a single leaf, 201mm. by 139mm., double column, 65 lines, written-space 167mm. by 108mm., written in a small gothic bookhand, text from Tobit 12:8 to Judith 3:7, including the prologue to Judith (Stegmüller 335), headings in red, running-titles and marginal chapter numbers in alternately red and blue letters, illuminated initial ‘A’ on recto in leafy design in colours and burnished gold with branching extensions up to 56mm. in height, large historiated initial, 11 lines, 28mm. by 31mm., showing Judith with flowers in her red hair cutting off the head of a king who lies in bed under a blue and white coverlet, burnished gold ground, leafy marginal extensions up to 77mm. in height, a bit worn, blank edges slightly cropped, lightly mounted, framed
Catalogue Note
Boehlen Collection, MS 1216 ES. Probably from the collection of Otto Ege (1888-1951). Another leaf from the same manuscript is Thompson MS.10 in the University of Colorado Library, Boulder (cf. J. Boffey and A.S.G. Edwards, Medieval Manuscripts in the Norlin Library, A Summary Catalogue, 2002, p.71). Four more were sold in these rooms, 25 April 1983, lot 77. The illumination resembles that of Paris, BnF ms.lat. 17336, made probably in Avignon, c.1305-10 (cf. F. Avril in L’Art au temps des rois maudits, 1998, pp.325-6, no.225).