Dr. Jörn Günther • Antiquariat
www.guenther-rarebooks.com

CONTENTS

Manuscripts

  1. Glossed Gospels of St Luke and St John,
    Paris or northern France, c. 1210
  2. Psalter with calendar for the diocese of Trier,
    Germany,Trier, c. 1220-40
  3. Psalter and book of hours for the use of Paris,
    illuminated in the du Prat atelier, France, Paris,
    c. 1250-60
  4. Biblia latina, pocket bible, France, Paris, c. 1250
  5. Antiphonary, sanctoral volume, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, c. 1270-75
  6. Psalter for the use of Auxerre, France,
    Burgundy or Paris, c. 1300
  7. Antiphonary for a Franciscan convent,
    illuminated by Neri da Rimini, Italy,
    Emilia-Romagna, dated 1314
  8. Vita Sancti Antonii Eremitae – Inventio et
    Translatio, illuminated by the Maestro del 1328,
    Italy, Bologna, c. 1320
  9. Schönrainer Liederhandschrift. Middle High
    German Minnesang manuscript, Germany,
    Hesse, c. 1330
  10. Missale Romanum, illuminated in the workshop
    of Cristoforo Orimina, Italy, Naples, c. 1355
  11. Boethius, De consolatione philosophiae and
    Jean de Meun, Testament, France, Paris, c. 1400
  12. Guido de Columna, Historia destructionis Troiae
    and Giovanni Boccaccio, Il Filostrato, Italy,
    Naples, dated 1414 and 1413
  13. Book of hours for the use of Paris, illuminated
    by the workshop of the Bedford Master, France,
    Paris, c. 1405-10
  14. Compilation of pastoral and mystical texts
    from the library of the Celestines of Marcoussis,
    illuminated by the Hoo Master, France, Paris,
    c. 1425-35
  15. Book of hours for the use of Toul, illuminated
    by the Master of Pommersfelden 351, France,
    Toul or Metz, c. 1435-40
  16. Dominican hymnal, illuminated by the
    Master of 1446, Italy, Bologna, c. 1450
  17. Nicolaus de Lyra, Postilla litteralis super
    Vetus Testamentum, two volumes, Italy,
    Ferrara?, 1441-46
  18. Compilation of history bible and world chronicle,
    the Antichrist and the XV signs and other texts,
    Austria, c. 1450
  19. Book of hours and psalter in Dutch, illuminated
    by the Master of the Haarlem Bible, Masters of
    Otto von Moerdrecht, Masters of Gijsbrecht
    van Brederode et al., northern Netherlands,
    Haarlem, dated 1453
  20. Book of hours for the use of Rome, with
    calendar of Bruges, illuminated by the Master of
    Buchanan E.5, Flanders, Bruges, c. 1450-60
  21. Chronique anonyme universelle, parchment
    scroll, illuminated by the Master of Étienne
    Sauderat, France, Paris?, c. 1450 with additions
    after 1461 and 1467
  22. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated
    by the workshop of Bartolomeo Varnucci,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1460-70
  23. Martin Le Franc, L’Estrif de Fortune et de Vertu,
    illuminated by the Master of the Échevinage
    de Rouen, France, Rouen, c. 1465-75
  24. Book of hours for the use of Utrecht in the Dutch
    translation of Geert Grote, illuminated by one of
    the Masters of Gijsbrecht van Brederode, northern
    Netherlands, probably Utrecht, c. 1465-70
  25. Missale Fratrum Minorum for the convent
    of S. Francesco di Montone, near Perugia,
    illuminated by Bartelomeo and Giapeco
    Caporali, Italy, Perugia, 1469
  26. Book of hours for the use of Rome with
    adaptations for Poitiers and a calendar for
    Angers, illuminated by Maître François,
    France, Paris, c. 1470
  27. Psalter with hymnal, illuminated by the
    workshop of Mariano del Buono di Jacopo,
    Italy, Florence, c. 1470-75
  28. Book of hours for the use of Rome, illuminated
    by Martino da Modena, Italy, Ferrara, c. 1480-85
  29. Book of hours for Dominican use, illuminated
    by the workshop of Matteo Felice, Italy,
    Naples, c. 1480
  30. Giovanni Boccaccio, Elegia di Madonna
    Fiammetta, illuminated by Attavante degli
    Attavanti, Italy, Florence, c. 1480
  31. Book of hours for the use of Rome, Italy,
    Sicily or Naples, c. 1480-90
  32. Olivier de la Marche, Le chevalier délibéré and
    other texts, Flanders, c. 1484
  33. Prayerbook in German, Germany, Nuremberg,
    c. 1495-1500
  34. Fencing treatise with pen-and-ink drawings,
    southern Germany,Augsburg, c. 1490-1500
  35. Book of hours for the use of Paris in Latin
    and French, illuminated by an artist from the
    circle of Jean Pichore, France, Paris, c. 1500
  36. Passion prayerbook in Latin with a prayer for
    the Church of All Saints in Wittenberg, Flanders,
    Bruges, after 1517
  37. Diploma for Statilio Paolino on his award of a
    doctorate in law from the University of
    Perugia, Italy, Perugia, dated 29 October 1582
  38. Album with Italian, mainly Venetian, costumes and
    characters from the Commedia dell’Arte, Italy,
    Venice?, first quarter of the 17th century

    Miniatures

  39. Funeral mass for a dignitary, miniature from a
    breviary, France,Avignon, c. 1340-45 128
  40. A pope distributing the decretals, miniature from
    a manuscript of canon law, France, Languedoc,
    c. 1320
  41. The Adoration of the Magi, historiated initial ‘D’
    on a leaf from a missal, Italy, Siena, c. 1400-10
  42. Two martyr saints, historiated initial ‘P’ on a leaf
    from a gradual for Lucca Cathedral, illuminated by
    Martino di Bartolomeo. Italy, Lucca, c. 1394-95
  43. Investiture of St Clare on a cutting from a
    Franciscan antiphonary, Italy, Bologna or Veneto,
    c. 1430-40
  44. Trinity, historiated initial ‘G’ on a cutting from
    a choirbook, France, Savoy, c. 1450 138
  45. King David playing the psaltery, historiated
    initial ‘E’ on a leaf from a psalter, illuminated by
    Jacopo da Balsemo, Italy, Bergamo, c. 1450-55
  46. The Creation of Eve, historiated initial ‘I’ on a
    cutting from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Bonifacio Bembo, Italy, Lombardy, c. 1445
  47. Jesaia before the Almighty, historiated initial ‘A’
    on a leaf from an antiphonary, illuminated by
    a follower of the Maestro delle Vitae Imperatorum,
    Italy, Lombardy, c. 1460
  48. Batsheba bathing, miniature from the Hours of
    Guyot II Le Peley, illuminated by Jean Colombe,
    France, Bourges, c. 1480
  49. The miracle of St Michael on Mount Gargano,
    miniature from a choirbook, illuminated by
    Attavante degli Attavanti, Italy, Florence,
    between 1473 and 1502
  50. Christ taking leave of his mother, miniature
    mounted on wood, illuminated by Jacopo del
    Giallo?, Italy, Rome, c. 1540

    Key to bibliographical references

A rare example of psalter illumination in Germany between Romanesque and Gothic

2 Psalter with calendar for the diocese of Trier

Illuminated manuscript on vellum.
Germany,Trier, c. 1220-40.

134 x 106 mm. 136 leaves, complete: I4+1, II10, III-XII12.The text on the last leaf has been replaced presumably at the end of the 15th century when the manuscript was rebound. Modern pencil foliation. – Written space: 100 x 72 mm, 20 lines, ruled in brown ink, prickings visible.Textualis Formata in dark brown ink, versals alternately in red and blue. 160 mainly two-line initials in gold with penwork decoration, 47 of them accompanied by drawings of animals and grotesque faces. 10 decorative initials, 12 miniatures of the zodiac, 2 full-page miniatures, 14th-century pen-and-ink drawings on vellum pastedown of back cover. – On fol. 1, 4 and 6 small portions of the vellum missing. Miniatures slightly rubbed, vellum darkened by frequent use, yet on the whole in fine condition. – Wellpreserved late 15th or early 16th-century blind-tooled calf binding over wooden boards with two clasps. A rectangular frame of double fillets is filled with stamps of biblical scenes, the central panel is subdivided by double fillets into 6 compartments stamped with small tools: the pierced heart of Christ, a bundle of ears, a lion (used in the binding workshop of the Benedictine abbey of Gandersheim, Schunke 1979, p. 193:“Löwe” 200). Remnants of bookplate on inner front cover.

PROVENANCE: 1.A provenance from the diocese of Trier is implied by the calendar. On the shields of the soldiers in the Resurrection scene on fol. 4 traces of a coat-of-arms are visible, which, however, are not sufficiently detailed for an identification. 2. Late 15th or early 16th century: region of Gandersheim (cf. binding). 3. Note on a paper label by an 18th-century hand glued to the front cover: M.S.S. Roman Breviary with signs of zodiaque, Kalendar, ..., in gothic letter (partly stripped off in the right and lower margin). 4. Collection of Rudolf Busch, Mainz (Sale Rudolf Busch 1921, lot 255). 5. Private collection Europe.

TEXT: fol. 1-3v: Calendar,written in double columns – fol. 6-124: Psalter – fol. 124-136: Canticles. The calendar contains several entries for feasts of regional importance for the diocese of Trier: 12 February: Castor – 20 February: Felix – 23 and 24 February: Matthew – 27 February: Leander – 29 May: Maximin – 18 August: Agapitus – 12 September: Maximin – 5 October: Palmatius – 13 October: Lubentius – 17 October: Florentius – 5 (= 7) November:Willibrord – 8 December: Eucharius.

ILLUMINATION: 1. Miniatures: fol. 1-3v: Zodiacal signs – fol. 4v: Full-page miniature: Annunciation; Nativity – fol. 5: Full-page miniature: Crucifixion; Resurrection. 2. Decorative initials: fol. 6: 15-line ‘B’(eatus vir) – fol. 24: 7-line ‘D’(omine illuminatio mea) – fol. 35: 7-line ‘D’(ixi custodiam) – fol. 45v: 7-line ‘Q’(uid gloriaris) – fol. 46: 7-line ‘D’(ixit insipiens) – fol. 57: 7-line ‘S’(alvum me fac) – fol. 70v: 7-line ‘E’(xultate dei adiutori nostri) – fol. 83: 7-line ‘C’(antate domino) – fol. 85: 7-line ‘D’(omine exaudi) – fol. 97: 7-line ‘D’(ixit dominus). The small codex presents a fine decoration programme, which corresponds to the tradition of deluxe psalter manuscripts for high-ranking lay persons. Between the calendar with its zodiacal cycle and the text of the psalter a series of christological miniatures is inserted which directs the reader to the recitation of the psalms. Although the miniatures are rubbed in some portions, the fine modelling and the clear construction of the contours of the faces are still apparent. The text of the psalter is subdivided into ten groups of 15 psalms by large decorative initials.They are composed of intertwined tendrils ending in ivyleaves, rendered in a palette of blue green, orange, red and mauve on a burnished gold ground.The individual psalms are marked by two-line initials in gold with penwork decoration evolving into skilfully drawn grotesque faces and animals. Of similar structure and related in style is a psalter dating from the 1260s in Frankfurt/Main (Museum für Angewandte Kunst, Linel Sammlung, LM 16), which has been tentatively located to Franconia (Soltek 1991, no. 1, p. 32-33). Due to the rarity of surviving illuminated manuscripts from the first half of the 13th century a determination of the art-historical context is difficult. An approximate location is, however, indicated by the calendar with its numerous entries for the diocese of Trier. Hanns Swarzenski, who laid the basis for the study of manuscript illumination in the 13th century in the areas along the Rhine, Main and Danube, mentions only one manuscript, a breviary, with a calendar for Trier (Swarzenski 1936, no. 20, pp. 106-107). The manuscript, today in Stockholm (Nationalmuseum, ms. B 1926), can be dated around 1250 (Swarzenski 1930; Nordenfalk 1979; Abel/Hökby 1987, no. 12). Whilst nearly identical in size to our manuscript the Stockholm codex is more richly illuminated. In terms of style, too, the two manuscripts display fundamental differences. The Stockholm breviary with its angular drapery folds is typical of the jagged style (German ‘Zackenstil’) at its highest level, whereas nothing of this stylistic tendency can be found in our psalter. When comparing the zodiacal signs in both manuscripts, which are outlined with strong black strokes, richly coloured and obviously based on similar models, one can nevertheless ascertain stylistic parallels. To the above-mentioned manuscripts can be added another psalter in the Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Hamburg (ms. in scrin. 83), which still awaits a detailed study.Although more luxuriously illuminated with seven full-page miniatures, its decoration displays conspicuous similarities to the psalter at hand with respect to the layout of the calendar pages (Brandis 1972, pp. 133-134). Claimed by Swarzenski to originate in the diocese of Trier, it is attributed, to Cologne or the surrounding area by Brandis, thus belonging to a closely related artistic climate.

LITERATURE: Sale Rudolf Busch 1921, lot 255. Swarzenski 1930; Swarzenski 1936, no. 20, pp. 106-107; Brandis 1972, pp. 133-134; Nordenfalk 1979, pp. 48-53; Schunke 1979;Abel/Hökby 1987, no. 12; Soltek 1991, no. 1, pp. 32-33.