Cut-out historiated initial 'E' from a choirbok with two saints (possibly Sts. Paul and James?). In the style of the Olivetan Master; Italian (North); ca 1440?

[A duplicate number MS.1009 was assigned to this object in error and was subsequently cancelled.]

This historiated initial 'E' likely came from a liturgical manuscript and was made in the Lombard region of Italy in the mid 15th century. Double-sided (alothough now pasted down onto card). Colour pigments and burnished gold (gold pigment that has been polished to shine).

Recto:
Pink historiated initial with white decoration on a burnished gold background.

1

This historiated initial 'E' probably caem from a liturgical manuscript and appears to have been made in Lombardy in the mid 15th century. It has been attributed to the Olivetan Master (act. c. 1425 - c. 1450), based on stylistic features.

The large size of the initial suggests that it may have been intended to be read from farther away by a larger group, such as a choir. It may have come from a Gradual (the principal manuscript used in the Mass; it contains all the sung material for the Mass) or an Antiphoner (the manuscript that contains all the sung material for the Divine Office [the canonical hours of private devotion practiced daily by monks and nuns]).

Initial
Recto: pink historiated initial 'E' decorated with white flower-shaped ornaments on either side. The centre arm is a contrasting blue pigment. A blue and red foliate leaf projects from either side of the right bowl (closed, round/oval curve of an alphabetic letter) and functions as a swash (decorative stroke on an alphabetic letter). Inside of the initial are the two figures in blue tunics and contrasting red and green mantles. They each have a burnished gold nimbus (halo). Thye background of the closed counter (fully enclosed interior white space of an alphabetic letter) is blue with pink, green, and white foliate embellishments. The initial is set against a burnished gold background.

Verso:
Inaccessible (the initial is pasted down 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. 325.3
D. 334-1893 (MS 1009)
CHOIR BOOK
Cut-out historiated intial E (beige letter-shape on burnished gold ground, two apostles with book on vermiculated blue ground, in the style of Olivetan Master)

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

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

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

A cut-out historiated initial 'E' (an initial that contains an identifibale figure or scene) with two saints (possibly Sts. Paul and James?). This initial was likely made in Lombardy in the mid 15th century and is attributed to the Olivetan Master based on stylistic features. It was once probably part of a larger liturgical manuscript (a book used in the Mass).

D.334-1893