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Manuscript cutting

Manuscript Cutting
ca. 1440 (made)
Place of origin

Cut-out historiated initial 'S' (an initial with an identifiable figure or scene) with five saints: Sts. Stephen, Lawrence, Vincent, and two unknowns. Probably came from a musical liturgical mansucript (a book used dring the Mass), and possibly made in Lombardy in c. 1440s, and attributed to the Olivetan Master.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleManuscript cutting
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Cut-out historiated initial 'S' from a liturical book with five saints: Sts. Stephen, Lawrence, Vincent, and two unknowns. Attributted to the Olivetan Master; Italian (North); ca 1440?

[A duplicate number MS.1013 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled].
Physical description
Cut-out historiated initial 'S' with five saints likely came from a liturgical manuscript and was possibly made in the Lombard region of Italy in the mid 15th century (c. 1440?). It has been attributed to the Olivetan Master based on stylistic features. Double-sided (although now pasted onto card). Colour pigments and burnished gold (gold paint that has been polished to shine).
Dimensions
  • Whole cutting height: 145mm
  • Whole cutting width: 120mm
Styles
Production typeUnique
Copy number
1
Object history
This historiated initial 'S' probably came from a liturgical manuscript and appears to have been made in Lombardy in the mid 15th century (c. 1440s?). The large size of the initial suggests that it may have been intended to be read from farther away and by a large group, such as a choir. It may have come from a Gradual (the principal book used in the Mass; it contains all the sung material used during the Mass) or an Antiphoner (a manuscript that contains all the sung material for the Divine Office [the canonical hours of private daily devotion practiced by monks and nuns)]).

Initial
Recto:
Red historiated initial with white floral decorations on the body set against a burnsihed gold background. Inside of the initial the background is blue with white floral decorations and green foliage with red flowers. The five saints are arranged in a circular design; the three in front clearly holding their identifying emblems (St. Stephen - three stones; St. Lawrence - a grill; St. Vincet - a stone wheel). The other two saints are unidentifiable. Sts. Lawrence and Vicent wear tunics in mirrored colours.

Verso:
Inaccessible (the cutting is pasted onto card)

Text:
Due to the close cropping, no visible text remains.
Historical context
Data taken from notes compiled by Rowan Watson. The full text of the entry is as follows:

(This text refers to 325.1 to 325.8)

Cat. 325. Eight cut-out historiated miniatures from a Choir Book, Italy (North), Mid-15th century.

Individual item text

'Cat. no. 325.7
D.338-1893
CHOIR BOOK
Cut-out historiated initial S (magenta letter-shape on burnished gold ground, Saints Stephen, Lawrence, Vincent, and others, on blue ground with date palm, attributed to Olivetan Master)

Verso not visible (pasted onto card in 19c); probably the beginning of the Common of the saints, with male martyrs

Italy (North) . c. 1440?
150 x 120 mm.

From a set of 8 "illuminations" bought from Messrs Parsons, 1893 £12.12.0.
Pub: 1908 cat, 88; 1923 cat, 81'
Subjects depicted
Summary
Cut-out historiated initial 'S' (an initial with an identifiable figure or scene) with five saints: Sts. Stephen, Lawrence, Vincent, and two unknowns. Probably came from a musical liturgical mansucript (a book used dring the Mass), and possibly made in Lombardy in c. 1440s, and attributed to the Olivetan Master.
Collection
Accession number
D.338-1893

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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