Beschreibung:

BIBLE, in Latin, with the Prologues ascribed to St Jerome and the Interpretations of Hebrew names, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM. [France, probably Paris, 3rd quarter 13th century] 152 x 105mm. 499 leaves; collation: 1-2 24 , 3 24 (of 26, xii cancelled and lacking xv), 4-7 24 , 8 22 (of 24, lacking i and ii), 9 23 (of 24, lacking xxi), 10 16 , 11-20 24 , 12 26 , 13 28 (the missing leaf before f.62 had the end of Numbers 36, Deuteronomy 1 and part of Deuteronomy 2, the 2 missing leaves before f.168 had Chronicles 35 and Esdra 1 and 2, the missing leaf before f.210 had Psalms 22-28), in the lower outer corners occasional red signature marks, a later cut roman foliation (until f.374) and a modern pencil foliation 1-467 (followed here, but f.71 should be f.72, two folios are numbered 375 and from f.431 the numbering returns to 402), 50 lines, double column, ruled in plummet, justification: 101 x 66mm, written in a small gothic bookhand in brown to black ink, rubrics in red, guide letters for some rubrics and running titles, capitals touched red, running titles, chapter numbers and versal initials in the Interpretation of Names in alternate red and blue capitals, chapters and psalms open with two-line capitals alternately of red and blue with contrasting flourishing extending up to the height of the text, prologues and books of the Bible open with ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-TWO ILLUMINATED INITIALS varying in size from two-line up to the height of the page, these initials made up of pink or blue staves with white decoration against a contrasting ground, the infills with tendrils of burnished silver, pink, blue and orange-red with monochrome decoration, many containing curling dragons (first and last folios darkened and worn, including first illuminated initial, small stains on ff.1-5, 218-9 and 463-7, silver oxidised, repairs to ff.cxxv and cxxxiii and lower corner of f.21 where initial removed, cockling cuts in many margins). 15th-century panelled calf, ruled and stamped in blind, borders with foliage and the pelican-in-her-piety, brass clasp (rebacked, scuffed and cracked). This small Bible on fine vellum is a characteristic example of the manuscripts produced in Paris in the 13th century for friars and students at the University. The style of illumination seems closest to the manuscripts classed by Robert Branner as produced in the Grusch atelier, a workshop active in Paris between 1250 and 1270 ( Manuscript Painting in Paris in the time of St Louis , Berkeley, Los Angeles, 1977,pp.82-6, figs 212-43)