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Featured Item

Gorgeous example of late C11th Chrysography.

Two half-leaves from a Sacramentary, in Latin, sumptuously illuminated manuscript on vellum.  [Germany, late 11th century or early 12th century]

265 × 180mm, the upper half of one leaf, and the lower half of another, lacking the lowermost line and margin, up to 14 lines each, the rubrics in gold majuscules, written in a fine early Romanesque bookhand the text comprising Masses for the Third to Sixth Sundays after Pentecost, and for 29–30 November, decorated with one-, two- and three-line initials in gold, infilled with colour, the largest also with silver and with simple vegetal forms outlined in red and multi-coloured interstices; recovered from use as the front and back pastedowns in a binding, with consequent damage and staining from the tanned leather turn-ins, a handsome survival of a destroyed manuscript of exceptional luxury

From a nearly-thousand-year-old manuscript of unusual splendour. Chrysography, writing in gold, is rare outside imperial commissions, and echoes the script of the Carolingian golden Gospel Books.

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