A courtier and a griffon inside the body of an initial on a leaf from an Antiphoner, manuscript on parchment [Austria or adjacent region of Germany, second half of fourteenth century] Single large leaf, with a large initial D (opening Dum complerentur dies pentecostes …, the first responsory at Matins on Whit Sunday) in blue enclosing the courtier in bi-coloured dress, bearded and with hands crossed at chest, a sword hanging from his belt, the griffon climbing the initial and with acanthus leaves sprouting from its tail, the body of the initial enclosing red penwork acanthus leaves with green background, all with ornate red penwork and green wash surround, extending into the margin in patterns of long whip-like penstrokes with bunches of green loops in sets of four, tall and slim red initials with iridescent blue penwork surround, red rubrics, single column of 6 lines in a tall and angular bookhand with angular fishtailing at heads of ascenders, some small patches of discolouration, a natural flaw in parchment in upper inner blank margin, else excellent condition, 500 by 345mm.; large wooden frame This leaf was first recorded in the collection of Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck (1811-1903), German art historian focusing on medieval arms and armour (note in this connection, the detailed sword held by the courtier here) and director of the Bayerische Nationalmuseum: his dark blue inkstamp in lower inner corner. He also owned an author portrait of Gregory the Great from a twelfth-century copy of the Moralia from Engelberg, now the Cleveland Museum of Art (J.H. Wade purchase 1955.74). His collections were dispersed by auction by Hugo Helbing of Munich on 6-7 June 1904, in which the present leaf along with nine others was lot 498 (see Kunstsammlungen des verewigten Herrn Geheimrats Dr. Jakob von Hefner-Alteneck des ehemaligen Direktors des Bayerischen Nationalmuseums und Generalkonservator der Bayerischen Altertümer: Versteigerung am 6. Juni und folgende Tage 1904, Band 1, where a three-quarter page initial from the parent codex is reproduced; other leaves from this group re-emerging as Semenzato auction, 25 April 2003, lot 197). The present leaf passed to a collector with the initials L.B.A.: their inscription dated 1968 in pencil at foot of this leaf.
A courtier and a griffon inside the body of an initial on a leaf from an Antiphoner, manuscript on parchment [Austria or adjacent region of Germany, second half of fourteenth century] Single large leaf, with a large initial D (opening Dum complerentur dies pentecostes …, the first responsory at Matins on Whit Sunday) in blue enclosing the courtier in bi-coloured dress, bearded and with hands crossed at chest, a sword hanging from his belt, the griffon climbing the initial and with acanthus leaves sprouting from its tail, the body of the initial enclosing red penwork acanthus leaves with green background, all with ornate red penwork and green wash surround, extending into the margin in patterns of long whip-like penstrokes with bunches of green loops in sets of four, tall and slim red initials with iridescent blue penwork surround, red rubrics, single column of 6 lines in a tall and angular bookhand with angular fishtailing at heads of ascenders, some small patches of discolouration, a natural flaw in parchment in upper inner blank margin, else excellent condition, 500 by 345mm.; large wooden frame This leaf was first recorded in the collection of Jakob Heinrich von Hefner-Alteneck (1811-1903), German art historian focusing on medieval arms and armour (note in this connection, the detailed sword held by the courtier here) and director of the Bayerische Nationalmuseum: his dark blue inkstamp in lower inner corner. He also owned an author portrait of Gregory the Great from a twelfth-century copy of the Moralia from Engelberg, now the Cleveland Museum of Art (J.H. Wade purchase 1955.74). His collections were dispersed by auction by Hugo Helbing of Munich on 6-7 June 1904, in which the present leaf along with nine others was lot 498 (see Kunstsammlungen des verewigten Herrn Geheimrats Dr. Jakob von Hefner-Alteneck des ehemaligen Direktors des Bayerischen Nationalmuseums und Generalkonservator der Bayerischen Altertümer: Versteigerung am 6. Juni und folgende Tage 1904, Band 1, where a three-quarter page initial from the parent codex is reproduced; other leaves from this group re-emerging as Semenzato auction, 25 April 2003, lot 197). The present leaf passed to a collector with the initials L.B.A.: their inscription dated 1968 in pencil at foot of this leaf.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
