Initial with St Bernard and Cistercian monks

Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

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

Place of origin

Historiated initial C depicting St. Bernard interceding before an altar for three cistercian monks, in white habits. They are threatened by Death and four devils, hell-mouth in the foreground.

Object details

Categories	Manuscript Cutting Manuscripts Medieval and Renaissance
Object type	Manuscript cutting
Title	Initial with St Bernard and Cistercian monks
Materials and techniques	Parchment Ink Pigments Illumination Writing
Brief description	Historiated initial C depicting St Bernard interceding for cistercian monks, and monks being dragged into Hell, probably from a choirbook, Flanders, ca. 1500-1530. A duplicate number MS.381 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled.
Physical description	Historiated initial C depicting St. Bernard interceding before an altar for three cistercian monks, in white habits. They are threatened by Death and four devils, hell-mouth in the foreground.
Dimensions	Height: 90mm Width: 84mm
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 Identifying Patrons These three pieces came from choirbooks made for different religious communities. Choirbooks are named thus because choirs sang from them in church, an activity brought to life in the illuminated initial ‘R’ [top left cutting]. The different clothing worn by the monks and nuns indicates which religious order they belonged to: white for Cistercians [left cuttings] and white with a black veil for Camaldolese nuns, a strand of the Benedictine order [right leaf]. Clockwise from top left: Initial ‘R’ with monks singing and playing the organ, from a Cistercian gradual Probably Guelders, Eastern Netherlands, about 1300–50 Museum no. 8990A Leaf with King David presenting his soul to God the Father, from a Camaldolese gradual Attributed to Lippo Vanni (active about 1340–75) Possibly Siena, Italy, about 1350–75 Ink, gold, watercolour and bodycolour on parchment Museum no. 4149 Initial ‘C’ with monks attacked by Death and dragged into Hell, from a Cistercian choirbook Netherlands, about 1500–30 Ink, gold, watercolour and bodycolour on parchment Museum no. 9004H
Object history	Part of cuttings purchased in batches from William Henry James Weale in 1883, 95 on 9 April 1883, 258 on 17 April 1883, 20 on 20 February, for the total sum of £96.7.2 (now Museum nos 8972-9042).
Associated object	9004G
Other number	MS. 381 - Cancelled number
Collection	Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number	9004H

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record created	June 30, 2009
Record URL	https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1026765/initial-with-st-bernard-and-manuscript-cutting/

Download as: JSON IIIF Manifest

Object details

About this object record

You may also like