Highly decorative manuscript Missal leaf, c.1425: Illuminated leaf in the style of a Book of Hours.

Large & finely illuminated leaf in the style of a Book of Hours.

Recto: Double column text in Latin written in an assured gothic bookhand in black ink on parchment. Ruled in red, with rubrics in red. One splendid two-line initial 'S' in blue outlined in black with white penwork on a burnished gold ground, infilled with a foliate design. Beside the initial is a six-line marginal panel of coloured acanthus leaves, flowers and leaves in the style of a Book of Hours. Three two-line initials in burnished gold on red and blue grounds highlighted with white penwork and alternating red and blue one-line initials.

Verso: As Recto, with three two-line illuminated initials, one with a marginal panel.

Origin: Spain or Southern France.

Date: Early part of the 15th century, c. 1425

Content: The initial 'S' beside the illuminated panel begins the mass for the Feast of St. Stephen. The text - taken from Psalm 131 (KJV 132) - reads: Sacerdotes eius induam salutari et sancti eius exsultatione exsultabunt. Memento, Domine, David, et omnis mansuetudinis eius. (I will also clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. Lord, remember David and all his afflictions.) Verso includes the mass for the Feast of the Invention of St. Stephen (the discovery of his remains).

Condition: The Recto of this leaf is in very good condition. The parchment has some slight cockling, and there are a few minor green stains in the bottom corner, but otherwise the high quality calligraphy has no ink loss, the colours remain bright and the burnished gold still shines. There is a small repaired edge tear in the right margin, not visible within the mat window. Verso has had a harder life, but is still highly presentable. The leaf is unconditionally guaranteed genuine.

Size: Size of leaf: approx. 375x275 mm. Text and illuminated area : approx. 250x200 mm. Mat size: approx. 460x385 mm. Presented in a museum quality mat, ready to frame.

Notes: A Missal in the Roman Catholic Church is the book containing the prayers said by the priest at the altar as well as all that is officially read or sung in celebrating the Mass over the course of the ecclesiastical year.