Decorated initial

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V&A South Kensington
Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E

Place of origin

Flanders (made)

Other side not visible. Mounted onto card.

Object details

Categories	Manuscripts Manuscript Cutting Medieval and Renaissance
Object type	Manuscript cutting
Title	Decorated initial
Brief description	Decorated initial O from a manuscript, Flanders, early 16th century.
Physical description	Other side not visible. Mounted onto card.
Dimensions	Height: 102mm Width: 108mm
Production type	Unique
Gallery label	Fragmented Illuminations: Medieval and Renaissance Manuscript Cuttings at the V&A, 08/09/2021 - 26/06/2022, rooms 88A-90 Samuel Rogers (1763–1855) The poet Samuel Rogers assembled a much-admired art collection, which became one of London’s prime attractions. It was so vast that when he died, the sale went on for nineteen days. Ranging from antiquities to paintings and sculpture, ancient and modern, it comprised 327 ‘illuminated miniatures’, including these initials, which shine like colourful jewels. The museum bought them in 1869 for £12 (about £750 today), a high price that was certainly determined by the fame of their previous owner. Twenty-three initials, from an unidentified manuscript Flanders (now Belgium), about 1500–30 Ink, gold, watercolour and bodycolour on parchment Museum nos. 7079:1-13 and 7080:1-10
Object history	Formerly in the collection of Samuel Rogers: his sale, Christie and Manson, London, 28 April 1856 and following days, lot 992 (24 initials). Purchased by the South Kensington Museum on 18 February 1869 from Mr J.M. Whitehead, together with 22 other cuttings from the same manuscript mounted on two sheets (now 7079:1-13 and 7080:1-10), for the total sum of £12.0.0 (information from Register of Drawings). A duplicate number MS.85 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled. Cuttings from the same manuscript in the V&A collection: 7079:1, 7079:2, 7079:3, 7079:4, 7079:5, 7079:6, 7079:7, 7079:8, 7079:9, 7079:10, 7079:11, 7079:12, 7079:13, 7080:1, 7080:2, 7080:3, 7080:4, 7080:5, 7080:6, 7080:7, 7080:8, 7080:9, 7080:10.
Associated objects	7079:1 (Object) 7079:2 (Object) 7079:3 (Object) 7079:4 (Object) 7079:5 (Object) 7079:6 (Object) 7079:7 (Object) 7079:8 (Object) 7079:10 (Object) 7079:11 (Object) 7079:12 (Object) 7079:13 (Object) 7080:1 (Object) 7080:2 (Object) 7080:3 (Object) 7080:4 (Object) 7080:5 (Object) 7080:6 (Object) 7080:7 (Object) 7080:8 (Object) 7080:9 (Object) 7079:9 (Object)
Bibliographic reference	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. 15.
Other number	85 - Cancelled number
Collection	Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number	7080:10

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Record created	June 30, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1012608/decorated-initial-manuscript-cutting/

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