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

An outstanding example of Umbrian illumination

25 Missale Fratrum Minorum

Manuscript on vellum, written by Henricus Haring for the convent of S. Francesco di Montone near Perugia, illuminated by Bartolomeo and Giapeco Caporali. Italy, Perugia, 1469.

350 x 250 mm. 400 leaves, complete: I2, II6, III-XVIII10, XIX12, XX10+1, XXI12, XXII-XXV10, XXVI8, XXVII8-1, XXVIII-XXXIII10, XXXIV8, XXXV-XL10, XLI14. Catchwords. Modern pencil foliation incorrect. – Written space: 208 x 155 mm, 2 columns of 26 lines to the page. Southern Textualis Formata (Rotunda) in black ink with rubrics, capitals stroked in red.Two-line initials alternately in blue and red with fleuronnée extending into the margins, penwork decoration of some letters in the final lines of the pages. – 31 historiated initials with floral extensions. Opening page with decorated full borders, one full-page initial, one fullpage miniature. Rich use of burnished gold. – Fine condition, small portions of flaking colour in the Crucifixion delicately restored. – 19th-century black morocco binding, front cover with gilt frame and arms, gilt edges. Endpapers including 2 vellum and 2 modern paper flyleaves. Short description in English on flyleaf, ex-libris and remnants of a bookplate on inner front cover. In a modern black half leather box.

PROVENANCE: 1. Convent of S. Francesco di Montone near Perugia. The colophon (fol. 400) gives the date of completion, 4 October 1469, as well as the names of the “guardianus conventus (...) presbiter Frater Stephanus Cambi” and of the “procurators” Franciscus Ser Johannis de Ciurellis and Petrus Paulus de Miraculis who commissioned the missal. 2. Probably in the collection of John Webster Esq. of the Upper Mall, Hammersmith, and of Queen Street, Cheapside, London (d. 1826), the most likely owner of the armorial stamp and the motto “Carpe Diem” on the cover (cf. Hobson/Woodcock 2005). 3.Thomas Edwards (1762-1834), bookseller of Halifax,West Yorkshire, (cf. catalogue of his sale at Stewart, Wheatley and Adlard, 15-24 May 1828). 4. Collection of Philip Augustus Hanrott (1776-1856). 5. Sale Quaritch, London, Dec. 1893, lot 95. 6. Collection of Leo S. Olschki, Florence. 7. Collection of Conte Paolo Gerli di Villagaeta, Milan (see ex-libris). 8. Private collection Switzerland.

TEXT: The colophon of this Franciscan missal names the scribe Henricus Haring, who as his surname “Almanus” suggests was probably of German origin.

ILLUMINATION: fol. 9: Luxurious frontispiece: full borders with rich foliage animated with putti and naturalistically drawn animals. In the bas-de-page putti present a roundel with St Francis displaying his stigmata. – fol. 185v: Crucifixion with the Virgin, St John, St Francis kneeling and two angels. Miniature set in a sumptuously decorated frame with generous use of burnished gold.The busts of three male figures, probably the patrons of the codex, appear in roundels. – fol. 186: Full-page initial ‘T’(e igitur): foliage with birds and putti. Historiated initials on fol. 9, 22, 22v, 25, 30v, 116v, 124v, 131, 141v, 183, 183v, 184, 184v, 193v, 208v, 214, 222, 259, 260, 263, 270, 275v, 287, 290v, 306, 311v, 318v, 322v, 324v, 327, 387v. Mario Salmi first identified the principal artist of this luxurious codex as Bartolomeo Caporali (active c. 1442-1502; Salmi 1933).Throughout his life Bartolomeo worked almost exclusively in his native city where he held various prestigious offices. His style was strongly influenced by Fra Angelico, by the younger generation of artists like Andrea del Verrocchio, but above all by Benozzo Gozzoli.A personal encounter with Benozzo during one of his stays in Perugia is very likely.The stylistic debt owed by Bartolomeo to the Florentine artist, especially during his early and middle career has even caused some confusion in the attribution of a couple of unsigned works. Later the influence of the Florentine school was modified through contacts with Umbrian artists, such as Perugino and Pinturicchio. Most of Bartolomeo’s surviving works are panel paintings (Scarpellini 1997), while his activity as an illuminator is less clearly defined. His comparatively small œuvre in this field comprises the decoration of a psalter formerly in the Franciscan convent of Monteripido (Perugia, Biblioteca Capitolare, ms. 44) as well as three miniatures depicting the gates of Perugia, resp. in the Albertina,Vienna (Salmi 1957, fig. 70) and in a private collection (Sotheby’s, 8 December 1981, lot 29). Bartolomeo’s role in the illumination of a missal for S. Lorenzo in Perugia (Biblioteca Capitolare, ms. 10) is less certain. In our manuscript Bartolomeo’s hand can be distinguished in the Crucifixion. The delicately modelled body of Christ as well as the psychologically convincing rendering of the bystanders make this miniature a masterpiece of rare quality. Two depictions of the Crucifixion painted by Bartolomeo during the 1450s or early 1460s, a wooden crucifix in S. Michele in Isola Maggiore del Trasimento and a predella panel (Perugia, Pinacoteca, cf. Perrott 1934, fig. 2) can be cited as direct antecedents of the present version, which despite its comparatively small dimensions is of striking grandeur. The two angels and the landscape as well as the border surrounding the Crucifixion have been attributed to another artist, probably Bartolomeo’s brother Giapeco (d. 1478) who was member of the guild of miniaturists in Perugia. Moreover, the full-page initial on the facing page, the frontispiece and the 31 historiated initials can be assigned to him.Although lacking the extraordinary talent of his brother Giapeco reveals himself as an experienced illuminator with a predilection for painting on a small scale and for sophisticated decoration. Thus the missal at hand is an interesting example of a close cooperation between two artists dividing the illumination according to their respective specialities yet striving to create a harmonious whole.

LITERATURE: Sales cat. Stewart, Wheatley and Adlard, 15- 24 May 1828; Salmi 1933 and 1957, pp. 56-57; Perrot 1934; Aeschlimann 1940, p. 37, pl. xxii; Mostra storica 1953-54, p. 421; Hobson/Woodcock 2005; Ciardi Dupré Dal Poggetto/Gualdi 2006, pp. 21-27, figs. 22, 25-28. Caleca 1969; Scarpellini 1997; Lunghi 2004.