The Massacre of the Innocents, historiated initial on a leaf from an Antiphoner, in Latin [Italy (Siena), c.1360-70]

single leaf, 550x380mm, vellum, with an initial ‘E’ opening the Matins antiphon ‘Ex ore infancium deus’ for the feast of the Holy Innocents (28 Dec.), 7 lines of text and music on four-line red staves, 380x245mm, rastrum c.27mm, verso with an original cropped folio number in red ink ‘[...]xvj.’, the gutter edge somewhat uneven, not touching the text or decoration, the recto slightly darkened and the initial slightly rubbed, loss of gold, the soldiers face lightly scored

The expressive illumination can be securely attributed to LIPPO VANNI who is documented as a painter and illuminator in Siena between 1344 and 1375. Commissions that Lippo received after the mid-14th century suggest that he was seen by patrons as the major talent in Siena, and in 1356 he was mentioned at the head of a list of painters there. The supple movement and individuality of figures here show the expressive quality characteristic of Lippo’s later works.