The Apostles preaching, large historiated initial on a cutting from an illuminated manuscript choirbook, on vellum

a cutting, 175mm. by 144mm., with a large initial 'V' (perhaps opening 'Veni creator spiritus ...', the hymn for Pentecost), 170mm. high, enclosing five Apostles in a covered turret gesticulating to the crowd below, as those below stare up in disbelief, on blue ground heightened with white penwork, entire initial on burnished gold ground, verso with remains of 2 lines of text with music on 4-line red stave, and '122' in nineteenth-century hand, small discolouration to some of background and minor rubbing to gold, else excellent condition



From the same manuscript as the preceding lot.



The scene most probably portrays the narrative of Acts 2:5-13 describing the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost when the Apostles "were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues" so that each member of the assembled multitude heard them speak in his own language.

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing where appropriate.
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