Beschreibung:

Bifolium from a Peter Lombard, Magna Glossatura in Epistolas Pauli, with two large illuminated initials, in Latin, manuscript on parchment [France (probably Paris), last quarter of twelfth century (probably c. 1180)] Remains of two conjoined leaves, reused inside-out as a later binding and hence with losses from head and foot of second leaf and outermost column there partly trimmed away, main text in single column of up to 47 lines of an angular proto-gothic bookhand (with I Corinthians 12:26-13:11 and I Corinthians 16:18-II Corinthians 1:1-10), without biting curves and with pronounced fishtailing, glossing text in smaller version of same in two or three columns accompanying main text, rubrics and names of textual authorities in margins in red, one-line initials in main text in red or blue, two very large initials opening II Corinthians 1 and its gloss (both 'P': 'P[aulus] apostolus iesu christi per voluntatem Dei et thimotheus ...', and 'Paulus apostolus et cetera hanc item ...'), in coloured and gold panels, enclosing other decorated panels heightened with white penwork, ornate coloured and gold foliage within the bodies of the initials including a winged beast in the first initial, all on blue grounds, the extensions of the initials in the margins reaching almost two-thirds of the page in height, the whole much scuffed with damage to large initials and text, last page scrubbed clean and with the eighteenth-century inscription 'Table' followed in the first case by an illegible number, with folds, losses and small holes, the whole somewhat battered, each leaf approximately 440 by 335mm. Acquired from a European private collector in early 2020. This is perhaps the last noble relic of an otherwise lost codex of great refinement and beauty, produced on a grand format with lavish use of gold and decoration.