Two illuminated leaves from a Spanish Book of Hours

Two illuminated leaves from a Spanish Book of Hours

Two leaves from a Book of Hours, Use of Rome, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum. [Spain, late 15th or early 16th century]

192 × 145mm; the last two leaves of a quire, with a catchword on the last page, ruled in red ink and written with 16 lines per page in an extremely fine formal gothic script, the text comprising part of Vespers of the Office of the Dead (the end of Psalm 120, Psalm 129, and start of Psalm 137), illuminated with extremely fine and unusual initials: the initials themselves usually alternating blue or red, on a gold horizontal scroll background with delicate ornamental designs