King David looking up to Heaven, historiated initial from an Antiphonary, in Latin [Italy (Cremona), c.1480-90]

cutting, c.85x80mm, vellum, historiated initial 'G' by BALDASSARE COLDIRADI OF CREMONA, reverse with part of 2 lines of text of Psalm 143:5 ('[Domine inclina caelos] tuos et [descende tange mon]tes et fumi[gabunt]'), gold slightly rubbed, cut to shape, mounted on velvet

Dr. Raymond Lister (d.2001) of Cambridge; Maggs, Cat.1428, 2008, no.4, bought by the present owner.

This cutting is from the same manuscript as others obtained by William Young Ottley (d.1836) which later entered the collection of Lord Northwick, his sale in our rooms, 16 November 1925. Two of these cuttings were purchased by Robert Lehmann, one now in Oberlin College (Allen Art Museum 43.17; see P. Palladino, Treasures of a Lost Art, no.63), the location of the other is unknown. Three more initials are in Philadelphia Free Library (Lewis, EM 71:A–C), one is in the Indiana University Library (MS. K7); six fragments in the Bodleian Library (MS. Douce d. 13) may also be associated with this dispersed Antiphonary. For the reconstruction of the group of cuttings see Anna Melograni, 'Miniature inedite del Quattrocento', Storia dell'arte, 83, 1995, pp.5–27.