Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level E , Case I, Shelf 81, Box V

Leaf from the Hastière Bible

Manuscript Cutting
early 14th century (made)
Place of origin

Recto: historiated initial E showing the prophet Baruch holding a scroll with the inscription ‘pater noster et noster pater’; dove of the Holy Spirit flying towards him. In the lower margin, drollerie with a quadruped and two-headed snake. This initial introduces the Book of Baruch.
Incipit: Et hec sunt verba libri qui scripsit Baruch
2 columns, 38 lines
Verso: 3-line initial P in blue with red flourishing, ‘ij’ written in margin to guide the rubricator.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleLeaf from the Hastière Bible
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Leaf with historiated initial E showing Baruch, from the Hastière Bible, Southern Netherlands, 14th century. A duplicate number MS.219 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled.
Physical description
Recto: historiated initial E showing the prophet Baruch holding a scroll with the inscription ‘pater noster et noster pater’; dove of the Holy Spirit flying towards him. In the lower margin, drollerie with a quadruped and two-headed snake. This initial introduces the Book of Baruch.
Incipit: Et hec sunt verba libri qui scripsit Baruch
2 columns, 38 lines
Verso: 3-line initial P in blue with red flourishing, ‘ij’ written in margin to guide the rubricator.
Dimensions
  • Height: 480mm
  • Width: 350mm
  • Text block height: 340mm
  • Text block width: 225mm
Production typeUnique
Object history
Probably commissioned by the couple depicted in the Crucifixion scene (Museum no. 279:1) identified by the scrolls they hold as Johans de Hastières and Magrite de Matetio (?) Voisia. The cleric depicted kneeling before Christ (?) (Museum no. 246:10), called 'Egidius de Romereet' would also have been involved in the commissioning of the Bible, which was in multiple volumes. May have been made in the region of Hastière, south of Namur.
Purchased from J. and S. Goldschmidt as part of three portfolios (now Museum nos 234-296) designated as a 'Illuminations: a collection of 338 specimens, pages and cuttings' for the total sum of £100.0.0, received on 15 October 1872; passed on for Register in April 1874 (see Register of Drawings).
Cuttings from the same manuscript in the V&A collection: 246:7, 246:8, 246:9, 246:10, 260:1, 260:2, 260:3, 260:4, 260:5, 260:6, 260:7, 279:1, 279:2.

Cuttings from the same manuscript in other collections: Philadelphia, Free Library; Nuremberg, Nationalmuseum; Paris, Ecole nationale des Beaux-Arts; Munich, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung; Zeileis collection and on the market. For full details, see Peter Kidd, 'Leaves and Cuttings from the Hastière Bible', in Medieval Manuscripts Provenance blog, 2016.
Associated objects
Bibliographic references
  • Catalogue of illuminated manuscripts : Part II, Miniatures, leaves, and cuttings, by S.C. Cockerell and E.F. Strange (London: HMSO, 1908, 1st edition). pp. 27-28 (as Netherlandish, 14th century; nos 213-226).
  • 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). pp. 22-23 (as Netherlandish, 14th century).
  • Peter Kidd, 'Bible leaves in Philadelphia, London, and Paris, 1 October 2016', 'Two more leaves from the Hastière Bible', 24 December 2016, 'One more leaf from the Hastière Bible', 27 December 2016, and a list of all located surviving leaves and cuttings 'Leaves and cuttings from the Hastière Bible', in Medieval Manuscripts Provenance blog [accessed 16/04/2020].
Other number
219 - Cancelled number
Collection
Accession number
260:7

About this object record

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 createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest