March II 2021 Catalogue

B a u m a n R a r e B o o k s F a i t h 2 0 2 1 9 “So David Reigned Over All Israel” 9. (ILLUMINATED LEAF) Illuminated Leaf from an Antiphonal. Ferrara, Italy, circa 1455-60. Single vellum leaf (6-1/2 by 6 inches), illuminated in gold and colored inks; matted and framed, entire piece measures 13-1/2 by 13-1/2 inches. $16,500. Click for More Info Beautiful, oversize illuminated miniature from an Italian Antiphonal, comprising a large, hand- colored image of King David in prayer. This beautiful illuminated miniature is from an Antiphonal (choirbook). The style and color of this leaf place the artist within the Ferrarese tradition of the mid-15th century. There, teams of illuminators worked together to produce some of the most extravagant manuscripts of the period. University of Zurich professor Gaudenz Freuler has identified the artist of this work as the fourth Master of Plutarch’s Vitae (Cesena, S. XV. 2). This leaf bears notable similarities to the Cesena manuscript, including the foreshortened faces, similarly close eyes, and prominent noses of God and David. Verso features two short staves with square notation on a red stave. Slight rubbing to gilt and unobtrusive creasing. A splendid piece in beautiful condition.