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 notable miniature by Attavante from a choirbook series in which the Florentine miniaturist possibly collaborated with Domenico Ghirlandaio

49 The miracle of St Michael the Archangel on Mount Gargano

Miniature from a choirbook on vellum, illuminated by Attavante degli Attavanti. Italy, Florence, between 1473 and 1502.

280 x 265 mm.Above the miniature remnants of a border with a medallion incorporating the monogram ‘ihs’ for Christ. – Musical notation on four-line staves and fragments of text in a round Gothic script on reverse ("super eum spiritu(m) meum”). – In fine condition, minor flaking to the left lower corner.

PROVENANCE: 1.William Esdaile (1758-1837), his initials in the lower right corner. On reverse a short note with the date of purchase. 2. Private collection Europe.

TEXT: The musical notation on the verso indicates that this large miniature comes from a choirbook. It illustrates the Feast of the Apparition of St Michael on 8 May, commemorating his appearance on Mount Gargano in Apulia. It is to the intercession of the archangel that the Lombards of Sipontum (Manfredonia) ascribed their victory in the battle against the Greek Neapolitans on 8 May 663. The Wildenstein Collection and the Vatican Library each hold three sister leaves and another sister leaf is in a private collection. Their written space and border decoration substantiate the assumption that they all come from the same series of choirbooks. Since in one of the Wildenstein leaves special attention is paid to St Romuald, the founder of the Camaldolese Order, the conclusion can be drawn that the series was made to the order of a Camaldulese monastery. The specification of a city (“Florentina”) on the signed leaf in the Vatican Library led Levi d’Ancona to the hypothesis that the choirbook was made for a location outside Florence. She tentatively ascribes the commission to the Franciscan Pope Sixtus IV Della Rovere (1471-84).

COMPANION LEAVES: 1. Dream of St Romuald, 440 x 340 mm, Paris, Musée Marmottan, Coll.Wildenstein. 2. Death of St Benedict in attendance of St Romuald, 415 x 280 mm, ibid. 3.Two male saints, 340 x 282 mm, ibid. Dated 1502. 4. Discovery of the True Cross, 595 x 405 mm (miniature 257 x 265 mm), Rome, Città del Vaticano, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Ross. 1192, fol. 22. Dated 1473 and signed by Domenico Corradi (“MCCCCLXXIII Florentina, Domenico Corradi”). 5. St Andrew, initial: 257 x 265 mm, ibid., fol. 23. 6. St Mark, initial: 201 x 215 mm, ibid., fol. 24. 7. Annunciation, 460 x 267 mm, private collection Europe (formerly Dr. Jörn Günther Antiquariat, Hamburg).

ILLUMINATION: The scene is an episode from the legend of St Michael. The saint appears in the shape of a bull in a cave on Mount Gargano demanding that a church be built in his honour.Targeted by a shower of arrows, he manages to turn them on the archer.The archer is depicted in the foreground, accompanied by his assistant who is covering his head in search of protection.The bull is sitting at the bottom of a hill in front of the cave. On the top of the hill St Michael appears after the sanctuary has been built. Attavante degli Attavanti (1452-1520/25) is one of the most outstanding miniaturists of the Florentine Renaissance, and art historians have praised him since his own times (cf. our no. 30). Attavante’s encounter with Domenico Ghirlandaio (1449-94), who was about to take the lead in establishing a new trend in Florentine painting, was decisive for his career. In the early days of its existence Ghirlandaio’s workshop is known also to have carried out manuscript illumination. A page from a large choirbook depicting the Discovery of the True Cross in the Vatican Library (see above) bears the inscription of Domenico Corradi – Ghirlandaio’s proper name was Domenico di Tommaso Curradi di Boffo Bigordi. Despite this signature scholars have repeatedly speculated as to whether Ghirlandaio only laid out the illumination and left the execution to Attavante. This thesis is based on the striking stylistic similarity with Attavante’s work. The miniature of the Miracle of St Michael on Mount Gargano, long since recognized as one of Attavante’s masterpieces, is an example of the close collaboration and stylistic correspondences between the two artists. The attribution of the three leaves in the Wildenstein Collection to Attavante has long been considered an established fact.The same applies to the Annunciation miniature (private collection). Except for the leaf bearing the signature of Domenico Corradi the sister leaves in the Vatican Library have also been attributed to Attavante; this attribution has only been questioned on the grounds of their early date of production, since Attavante’s independent work is undocumented prior to the 1480s. On the assumption of a common origin for all leaves from a choirbook series, the miniature in the Wildenstein Collection bearing the date 1502 is of special importance. This leaf and the one signed by Ghirlandaio in the Vatican Library encompass the timeframe within which the magnificent series was created.The miniature under discussion here represents a new facet in the early career of the eminent Florentine artist, since research will most probably assign this work to an early stage in the illumination of the choirbooks.

LITERATURE: Ciardi Dupré dal Poggetto 1973, pp. 8-9; Garzelli 1985, vol. 2, pl. 780. The leaf will published in an article by Gabriele Bartz. Levi d’Ancona 1962, pp. 339-361; Martens et al. 1979; exh. cat. Paris 1981, nos. 8, 15-17; Garzelli 1985, pp. 217-237; exh. cat.Vatican 1995, nos. 46-48, pl. 109-111; exh. cat. Paris 2001; cat. Günther 2002, no. 65; Piazzioni 2005, pp. 102ff., pl. p. 109; Galizzi 2004; exh. cat. Perugia 2005, no. 24.