Bible, in Latin, with the Prologues and Interpretation of Hebrew Names, illuminated manuscript on vellum

Estimate

15,000 - 20,000 GBP

bidding is closed

Description

590 leaves, 148mm. by 96mm., complete, collation: i^{26, ii-v^{24, vi^{30, vii-x^{24, xi^{16, xii-xviii^{24, xix^{8, xx-xxv^{24, xxvi^{6 [of 10, blank vii-x cancelled], with occasional traces of catchwords or leaf signatures in red, double column, 48 lines, ruled in plummet, written-space 92mm. by 64mm., written in brown and dark brown ink by several scribes in an extremely small gothic bookhand, headings in red, capitals mostly touched in red, capitals in the Interpretations alternately red and blue, running-titles and chapter numbers in alternately red and blue letters, 2-line chapter initials throughout in red or blue with extensive penwork in the contrasting colour (or both colours),}}}}}}}}} seventy-two illuminated initials, 2 to 28 lines high, mostly 4-line, in colours and burnished gold in leafy and floral designs, sometimes with dragons’ heads, eighty-three historiated initials, 4 to 48 lines high, mostly 7- or 8-line, some medieval marginal corrections and notes, edges of first leaf wormed, small piece cut from margin of last leaf, most historiated initials oxidised with the white pigment having become black (reversible), other spots of wear, generally sound, eighteenth-century mottled calf, vellum endleaves, silver title label on upper cover, gilt edges, rebacked (1930) with spine in compartments gilt, in a blue cloth fitted case, title gilt

Provenance

provenance

(1) Eighteenth-century inscription of a friar, “Ex libris F. Josephi Marie De Ancona”

(2) John Patrick Crichton-Stuart (1847-1900), third Marquess of Bute, converted to Catholicism in 1868; perhaps bought in Italy (where he was confirmed by Pius IX); MS 23 at Mount Stuart, Isle of Bute, Scotland; by descent to the sixth Marquess (1933-1993); his sale in our rooms, 13 June 1983, lot 2, to Alan Thomas, for the present owner.

Catalogue Note

text

The text follows the standard Parisian sequence as in Ker, Medieval Manuscripts in British Libraries, I, 1969, pp.96-7, including Psalms, with very slight variations in the prologues listed there, followed by the Interpretation of Hebrew Names in the version beginning, ‘Aas apprehendens’.

illumination

The manuscript belongs in the group known as the Bari workshop, as defined by R. Branner, Manuscript Painting in Paris during the Reign of Saint Louis, 1977, pp.102-7 and 229-30, a rather unsatisfactory name deriving from a Parisian royal Gradual now in Bari in Italy. The historiated initials here are: (1) Jerome writing, with Ambrosius standing beside him, fol.1r; (2) the Six Days of Creation, with God blessing the world on the seventh, and the Crucifixion below, fol.4v; (3) two Israelites going through a door into Egypt, fol.25v; (4) Moses sacrificing a lamb, fol.42v; (5) God speaking to Moses, fol.55r; (6) Moses holding a book and addressing a Jew, fol.72v; (7) God appearing to Joshua, fol.89r; (8) Judas, with God in the sky, fol.99v; (9) Emilech with his wife and child travelling to the land of the Moabites, fol.110r; (10) a queen kneeling in the Temple, fol.112r; (11) the beheading of the Amalekite, fol.127r; (12) an attendant bringing Abishag to comfort David in bed, fol.139r; (13) King Ahaziah falling from a tower, fol.153r; (14) the descendants of Adam, fol.166r; (15) King Solomon enthroned, fol.179r; (16) King Cyrus giving orders, fol.194v; (17) Nehemiah, fol.198v; (18) a priest in the Temple, fol.205v; (19) Tobit and the swallow, fol.212v; (20) Judith cutting off the head of Holofernes, fol.217r; (21) Esther before King Assuerus, fol.223v; (22) Job and his comforters, fol.230r; (23) David playing the harp, fol.241v; (24) David pointing to his eyes, fol.246r; (25) David pointing to his mouth, fol.248v; (26) a fool with a bauble, fol.251v; (27) David calling to God from the water, fol.254r; (28) David playing the bells, fol.257r; (29) a group of priests singing at a lectern, fol.260r; (30) God blessing, fol.263r; (31) Solomon chastising a pupil, fol.269v; (32) Solomon instructing a man, fol.278v; (33) the Virgin and Child, fol.281v; (34) Solomon giving orders to a soldier, fol.283v; (35) God giving wisdom to King Solomon, fol.290v; (36) Isaiah sawn in half, fol.309r; (37) God speaking to Jeremiah, fol.331v; (38) Moses with the tablets of the law, fol.358v; (39) the vision of Ezekiel, fol.362r; (40) Daniel in the lions’ den, fol.385r; (41) Hosea preaching to the Jews, fol.395r; (42) Joel with a scroll, fol.398v; (43) Amos guarding his flocks, fol.400v; (44) Obadiah preaching to the Jews, fol.403r; (45) Jonah escaping from the whale, fol.403v; (46) Baruch with a scroll, fol.404v; (47) Nahum seated, fol.406v; (48) Habakkuk sowing, fol.408r; (49) Zephaniah seated beside a city, fol.409r; (50) the prophet Haggai, fol.410v; (51) Zechariah with a scroll, fol.411v; (52) Malachi seated, fol.415v; (53) an execution of a man with a gold bowl, fol.416v; (54) a Jew welcoming his companion, fol.431r; (55) a Jesse tree, with Christ, a queen and a king in the branches above the sleeping figure, fol.441r; (56) a nimbed lion, fol.454v; (57) Saint Luke writing his Gospel, fol.463r; (58) an eagle with a scroll, fol.477v; (59) Saint John writing his Gospel, fol.478r; (60) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.489r; (61) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.495r; (62) Saint Paul seated with a sword, fol.500v; (63) Saint Paul holding a sword and scroll, fol.504v; (64) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.506v; (65) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.506r; (66) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.509v; (67) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.510v; (68) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.512v; (69) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.514r; (70) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.515v; (71) Saint Paul holding a sword, fol.516r; (72) Saint Paul and a Hebrew, fol.516v; (73) an ox, fol.520v; (74) the Ascension, fol.521r; (75) Saint James seated, fol.536r; (76) Saint Peter curing the sick, fol.537v; (77) Saint Peter seated, fol.539r; (78) Saint John writing at a lectern, fol.540r; (79) Saint John opening a scroll, fol.541v; (80) Saint John rolling up his scroll, fol.542; (81) Saint Jude writing at a desk, fol.542v; (82) an ape, fol.542v; and (83) Saint John writing, with the churches of Asia, fol.543r.