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Initial with St Bernard and Cistercian monks

Manuscript Cutting
1500-1530 (made)
Place of origin
Netherlands (made)
Flanders (made)
Flanders (made)

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
TitleInitial 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 typeUnique
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

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