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Leaf for a Mass during the Passion of Christ from a Missal

Manuscript Cutting
ca. 1320-1330 (made)
Place of origin

This leaf (cutting) is from a Missal (a service book containing the texts necessary for the performance of the Mass together with ceremonial directions)


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLeaf for a Mass during the Passion of Christ from a Missal
Materials and techniques
Colour pigments, burnished gold leaf and ink on parchment (animal skin prepared to receive writing or images).
Brief description
Leaf for a Mass during the Passion of Christ from a Missal, Umbria, ca.1320-1330.
Physical description
Leaf, from a Missal, that introduced a Mass celebrated during the Passion of Christ (during the week before Easter) probably made in Umbria, ca. mid-late 14th century. Double-sided. Text written in black ink with red rubrics (a title, chapter heading, or instruction that is not strictly part of the text but helps to identify it). Colour pigments, gold leaf, andf ink.

This leaf introduces the text from the Gospel of St. Mark (14:1), whcih is the first part of the history of the Passion of Christ; used during Holy Week (the week before Easter Sunday).

Two columns of text, written in Southern Gothic Textualis script, are separated with the historiated initial in the left margin. Winding marginalia (wirings or decorations in the margins of a manuscript) composed of foliate forms, painted in coloured pigments and burnished gold leaf (gold paint that has been polished to shine) descend and extend from the initial.

Recto: One historiated initial 'I' shows St. Mark standing beside the opening line of the text from his gospel. His right hand is raised in a blessing gesture as he looks out at the viewer. He stands atop a lion, which is his Evangelical symbol - this futher helps to identify him.

Verso: Two text columns written in black ink (in Southern Gothic Textualis script) with red rubrics. One red initial 'P' with blue penwork (fine, linear embelishment). One blue initial 'A' with red penwork. One red initial 'O' with blue penwork. One blue initial 'I' with red penwork.
Dimensions
  • Leaf height: 360mm
  • Width: 255mm
Content description
St. Mark stand with his Evangelist symbol (the lion)
Production typeUnique
Object history
Part of a group of 'illuminations' bought from Spithower in Rome on 18 December 1860 (now Museum nos 1487-1537).
Cuttings from the same manuscript in the V&A collection: Museum nos 1489, 1490, 1491, 1492, 1493, 1494, 1495.
Subject depicted
Summary
This leaf (cutting) is from a Missal (a service book containing the texts necessary for the performance of the Mass together with ceremonial directions)
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Catalogue of Miniatures, Leaves, and Cuttings from Illuminated Manuscripts. Victoria and Albert Museum. Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design, by S.C. Cockerell and C. Harcourt Smith (London: HMSO, 1923, 2nd edition). p. 75.
  • Freuler, G., The McCarthy Collection, vol. I: Italian and Byzantine Miniatures, London : Ad Ilissum, 2018. In relation to no. 49, p. 157 and fig. 49.2.
Collection
Accession number
1494

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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