Leaf from a Missal, No. 15
Date: late 13th century
Dimensions:
Overall: 8 3/8 x 11 3/8 in. (21.3 x 28.9 cm)
Medium: Vellum
Place of Origin: France (Beauvais)
Classification: Manuscripts
Credit Line: Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey
Object number: 1953.129O
Label Text:This manuscript leaf was once part of a Missal (prayer book for Mass) that was a gift to a church in Beauvais, a principal European art center located outside of Paris. Although we often do not know who originally owned medieval books and manuscripts, in this instance information gathered from historical records points to a possible original owner: Robert de Hangest, a canon (cathedral priest) in Beauvais.
Prior to the invention of the printing press in the mid-1400s, and in some cases after, books were handwritten on processed animal skins. This vellum (calf skin) page’s text is written in Latin using Transitional Gothic Script and is interspersed with musical notation. Sacred books like this Missal were frequently embellished to honor God. In addition to the text, the medieval scribe included ornamented initials that have long serpentine and leaf-like terminals to frame each column and smaller initials filled with quatrefoils (four-lobed shapes) to complement the music’s lyrics. Look for the animal head hidden within one of the decorated initials.
Prior to the invention of the printing press in the mid-1400s, and in some cases after, books were handwritten on processed animal skins. This vellum (calf skin) page’s text is written in Latin using Transitional Gothic Script and is interspersed with musical notation. Sacred books like this Missal were frequently embellished to honor God. In addition to the text, the medieval scribe included ornamented initials that have long serpentine and leaf-like terminals to frame each column and smaller initials filled with quatrefoils (four-lobed shapes) to complement the music’s lyrics. Look for the animal head hidden within one of the decorated initials.
DescriptionLatin text; Transitional Gothic script
Not on view