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

Manuscript illumination between Naples and Sicily

31 Book of hours for the use of Rome

Illuminated manuscript on vellum. Italy, Sicily or Naples, c. 1480-90.

187 x 130 mm. 272 leaves, complete: I6, II-IX8, X8-1+1, XI-XXV8, XXVI8-1+1, XXVII-XXXIV8. Catchwords with penwork decoration, modern pencil foliation. – Written space: 95 x 65 mm, one column of 15 (for the calendar 34) lines per page, blind ruling.Textualis Formata in black and red ink. Marginal notes for rubrics to be filled in. Lombards alternately in red and gold with violet penwork. – Mainly two-line initials in burnished gold alternately framed in blue and red and filled in the opposite colour with white penwork decoration. 22 large decorative initials on gold ground with extensions into the margins. – 7 miniatures, 5 of them with luxurious full borders, 5 further full borders: penwork with gold bezants and flowers, partly with roundels in the centre of the bas-de-page animated with putti and animals. – Excellent state of preservation. – Original binding “di tipo aragonese” (cf. De Marinis 1947-69, vol. 1, pl. 48A): brown leather over wooden boards on 4 raised bands. Covers with blind and gold tooling: multiple frames, square centrepiece with interlaced bands and extensions in the form of aT ending in stars. Gilt edges. Inside of covers with vellum pastedowns and remnants of a brown silk tissue, 2 vellum back flyleaves. Rubbing on corners and spine, traces of clasps, otherwise fine condition. In a modern black leather box with gold title on the spine.

PROVENANCE: 1.The red escutcheon on fol. 8 has been retouched, which makes any heraldic interpretation impossible. The repeated use of feminine forms in the text, however, suggests that the codex was commissioned by a woman. 2. Private collection Europe.

TEXT: fol. 1-6v: Calendar – fol. 8-86v: Office of the Virgin for use of Rome with an addition for Advent – fol. 88-93: Hours of the Holy Cross – fol. 94-97: Hours of the Holy Spirit – fol. 98-147: Office of the Dead – fol. 148-165v: Penitential psalms and litany – fol. 166: Short office with integrated prayers – fol. 171v-174v: Symbolum Athanasii – fol. 175-206v: Psalterium Hieronymi with prefatory prayers – fol. 207-209: Confessio ad missam – fol. 210-239: Various masses – fol. 239-270v:Various prayers. The calendar provides useful information for the localization of the manuscript.Thus, 25 February has an entry for the feast of St Gerlandus, bishop of Agrigent on the south coast of Sicily. The translation of the saint’s body is likewise marked (19 April). Furthermore a passage in Sicilian dialect on fol. 245 supports the connection with Sicily. Finally an indulgence ascribed to Pope Sixtus IV, whose papacy lasted from 1471 to 1484, offers a terminus post quem.

ILLUMINATION: fol. 7v: Annunciation – fol. 87v: Crucifixion with the Virgin and St John – fol. 93v: Descent of the Holy Spirit – fol. 97v: Funeral mass – fol. 147v: Penitent David – fol. 181v: St Jerome – fol. 209v: Maria lactans with angels. – Full borders on fol. 7v/8, 87v/88, 93v/94, 97v/98 and 147v/148. The illumination is determined by a palette of vivid colours dominated by a dark red, blue and green. Gold is used for details of landscape and draperies. The illuminator has a predilection for wide landscapes where elements like a winding path or river create a sensation of depth.The horizons are often garnished with multi-towered fortresses reminiscent of French and Flemish manuscript illumination. Other elements that occur frequently are small circular trees, fantastic formations of rocks or stony plateaus that set the stage for scenes like the Crucifixion. Interiors are likewise rendered with particular attention.The scene of the Annunciation surmounted by a vault resting on elegant columns is especially noteworthy. Here once more the influence of Franco-Flemish illumination is evident. The miniatures are mostly placed on versos and are framed by four-sided borders.The facing rectos are decorated accordingly so that the openings of the main components of the book of hours present themselves as luxurious double pages. The borders consist of fleuronnée with tiny gold bezants completed by acanthus leaves, stylized flowers and fruit and animated with putti, animals and hybrid creatures. The illumination is stylistically related to manuscript production in the vicinity of the Aragonese court in Naples. In 1442 Alfonso, surnamed Magnanimo, who in 1461 became king of Aragon and Sicily, had conquered Naples, hitherto ruled by the Anjou dynasty, and had united the kingdoms of Sicily and Naples.Alfonso represented the ideals of the humanist prince, and his court became a centre of attraction for artists and poets. Moreover he was the founder of an impressive library, which was enlarged by his son Ferdinand I (died in 1494). Many of the artists active at the Aragonese court had been trained in the leading centres of Italy, such as Florence or Veneto, but were likewise susceptible to influences from Northern Europe. In return their achievements also left an imprint on manuscript illumination in the neighbouring regions, especially in Sicily. Although the book of hours under discussion was obviously produced for a Sicilian lady, as can be deduced from its text, it is not inconceivable that the artist entrusted with its illumination likewise came from Naples. He is indebted to Cristoforo Majorana, whose activity at the Aragonese court is documented between 1480 and 1492. De Marinis identified Majorana as a disciple of Cola Rapicano, who played an important part in the enlargement of the royal library under Ferdinand I. (De Marinis 1947-69, vol. I, pp. 150-156). For a comparison with our manuscript one may cite a book of hours in the Biblioteca Nazionale in Naples (ms. I B 26), whose depiction of King David displays a similar understanding of figure and landscape. Attributed to Majorana by De Marinis, the illumination of this book of hours is seen by recent scholars as a work of Nardo Rapicano, a son or brother of Cola, or another of his assistants, the Maestro del Temistio (Toscano 1995, p. 107). On the grounds of the stylistic affinity it is reasonable to suppose that our illuminator also came from this prolific workshop.

LITERATURE: The manuscript is hitherto unpublished. De Marinis 1947-69; Daneu-Lattanzi 1966; Toscano 1995; Toscano 20041, 20042 and 20043 (with further bibliography).