ROUSE ILLUM. 10
ANTIPHONAL (LEAF). AUSTRIA (TYROL), S. XV MED

Detail of initial depicting the death of the Virgin
R.H. & M.A. Rouse Illum. 10

A leaf from a large Antiphonal illuminated in the Tyrol in the middle of the fifteenth century. At the Introit Gaudeamus omnes for the mass of the Assumption, with a large historiated initial depicting the death of the Virgin. The floral border decoration of leafy vine stem with bursting pods in green, pink, blue, and yellow is reminiscent of painting in copies of the Gutenberg Bible and other early printed books. This reminds one again that the printed book was formed in the context of the manuscript book, and that what print could not do at the beginning was beautifully supplied by hand. Another leaf from this Antiphonal was sold by Maggs, Catalogue 14 (1988) no. 14.

R.H. & M.A. Rouse Illum. 10