Cut-out historiated initial 'D'with the Conversion of St. Paul attributed to the Master of the Modena Hours (Tomasino da Vimercate); Italian; mid 15th century (c. 1440?).

[A duplicate number MS.1010 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled.]

This historiated initial 'D' likely came from a liutrgical manuscript and was probably made in the Lombard region of Italy in the mid 15th century (c. 1440?). It has been attributed to the Master of the Modena Hours (Tomasino da Vimercate) based on stylistic features. Double-sided (although now pasted down onto card). Colour pigments and burnished gold (gold pigment that has been polished to shine).

Recto: deep pink historiated initial set against a burnished gold background.

1

This historiated initial 'D' likley came from a liturgical manuscript and was probably made in the Lombard region of Italy in the mid 15th century (c. 1440?). It has been attributed to the Master of the Modena Hours (Tomasino da Vimercate) based on stylistic features. The large size of the initial suggests that it may have been intended to be read from farther away and by a large group of people, likley a choir. It may have come from a Gradual (the principal liturgical book used in the Mass; it contains all of the sung material for celebrating the Mass) or an Antiphoner (a manuscript that contains all of the sung materical used for the Divine Office [the canonical hours of priavte devotion practiced daily by monks and nuns]).

Initial
Recto: a deep pink historiated initial 'D' is decorated with simple white geometric lines on the stem (main vertical stroke of an alphabetic letter). On the bowl (closed, round/oval curve of an alphabetic letter) is the outline of an architectural structure, probably intended to be Jerusalem. Inside of the closed counter (fully enclosed interior white space of an alphabetic letter) is the scene of St. Paul (then Saul) hearing God and being converted to Christianity as described in Acts 9:9-13. The whole initial is set against a burnsihed gold background.

Verso: Inaccessible (the cutting is pasted onto card)

Text
Due to the close cropping of the initial, no visible text remains.

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. 325.4
D.335-1893
CHOIR BOOK
Cut-out historiated initial D (magenta letter-shape with drawing of tower, conversion of St. Paul with armed soldiers beholding God the Father, attributed to Tomasino da Vimercate, al. Parma Master)

Verso not visible (pasted onto card in 19c).

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

From a set of 8 "illuminations" bought from Messrs Parsons, 1893 £12.12.0.
Pub: 1908 cat, 88; 1923 cat, 81'

This cut-out historiated initial 'D' (an initial with a recognizable figure or scene) shows the Conversion of St. Paul. Probably made in Lombardy in c. 1440, it has been attributed to the Master of the Modean Hours (Tomasino da Vimercate) based on stylistic features.

D.335-1893