Two bifolia from an early Gradual, in Latin on parchment [probably France (perhaps Normandy or north-east coastline), second half of the twelfth century] Four leaves (two bifolia), with 11 lines in a small and excellent gothic bookhand, with music in neumes arranged around a red clef line (the C- and F-clef lines marked with initials in margins), red rubrics, capitals touched in red, one initial in scrolling bars and teardrop shapes in black penwork, the other initials in bright red, the larger with stylised foliate forms and baubels at midpoints, both once reused in a binding and hence with areas of discolouration and scuffs, each leaf 228 by 165mm. Another bifolium (with a quite separate recent provenance) was sold in our rooms, 9 December 2015, lot 15, for £1800. The parent manuscript was there ascribed to “probably southern France” on the arabesque forms of some initials, but the larger initials here with their swirls of foliage and baubels placed at the midpoints of their bowls, point instead to Normandy or the north-east coastline of France.
Two bifolia from an early Gradual, in Latin on parchment [probably France (perhaps Normandy or north-east coastline), second half of the twelfth century] Four leaves (two bifolia), with 11 lines in a small and excellent gothic bookhand, with music in neumes arranged around a red clef line (the C- and F-clef lines marked with initials in margins), red rubrics, capitals touched in red, one initial in scrolling bars and teardrop shapes in black penwork, the other initials in bright red, the larger with stylised foliate forms and baubels at midpoints, both once reused in a binding and hence with areas of discolouration and scuffs, each leaf 228 by 165mm. Another bifolium (with a quite separate recent provenance) was sold in our rooms, 9 December 2015, lot 15, for £1800. The parent manuscript was there ascribed to “probably southern France” on the arabesque forms of some initials, but the larger initials here with their swirls of foliage and baubels placed at the midpoints of their bowls, point instead to Normandy or the north-east coastline of France.
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
