Priest holding a monstrance, a historiated initial from an Antiphonary, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (Verona), c.1495]

cutting, 181mm., by 170mm., with a large historiated initial ‘S’ by Girolamo dai Libri (probably opening, "Sanguis Domini nostri Jesu Christi custodiat animam meam in vitam aeternam …"), formed of acanthus leaves in pink, green and blue on a burnished gold ground outlined in black, enclosing the contemplative figure of a priest, wearing a green chasuble over a white alb with a red stole, holding a monstrance before an altar covered in white cloth with blue embroidery, set against a blue ground, reverse with text and music on two 4-line red staves, rastrum 46mm., vellum slightly cockled, blue ground at right and burnished gold slightly retouched, reverse with large glue stain and remains of paper at edges from previous mounting, in good condition

literature

Verona Illustrata: Rivista del Museo di Castelvecchio, 20, 2007, cat.38.

This fine cutting is identifiable as the work of Girolamo dai Libri (1474/75-1555; see also previous lot). Girolamo dai Libri was an important illuminator and painter in Verona in the first half of the sixteenth century. His father was Francesco dai Libri (c.1450-1503/06), and was so named because he was an illuminator of books. According to Vasari, Girolamo was already renowned at the age of sixteen, when he painted his first altarpiece for Santa Maria in Organo in Verona. A large body of work, including panel paintings and manuscripts, have been attributed to him. Many of his manuscript commissions survive – as in this case – only as individual cuttings removed from Choirbooks. His characteristic serene and accomplished compositions and robustly drawn and brilliantly coloured figures are evident in this cutting.