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Our Books:» Cuneiform Tablet to 16th Century » Renaissance of Calligraphy, 1906-1959  |
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THE ANNUNCIATION France, 15th Century A single vellum leaf from a Book of Hours with a miniature painting of the Annunciation. The Virgin sits before an embroidered hanging, in a taberbacle with corinthian columns in marble veined in gold, roofed in gothic tracery with small sculpted figures at the corners. Her garments, and the angel's, are shot with gold.The tabernacle stands in a walled garden, with trees visible against the sky beyond. An elaborate floral initial "D," in rose, blue, white, and gold leaf, with a smaller illuminated initial and four lines of text, are below the miniature. The page is framed with a border of periwinkles, roses, violets, violas, and bluebells, in red, blue, green, ivory and gold. The border is further embellished with the figures of the Virgin reading, and two angels, one playing the lute.
On the verso of the leaf are fourteen lines of text with five illuminated initials, and a partial border of foliage and flowers, with a blue-faced dragon-monster among pinks and violets.
Some paint has chipped from the faces in the Annunciation, and from the cloak of the reading Virgin, due to the wrinkling of the vellum. Otherwise this fine leaf is very well-preserved.
Matted with moiré silk in a double-glazed church window frame. (6 5/8 by 5 inches [167 x 123 mm]) (6589) $3750.00 |
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