Book of Hours leaf

BOOK OF HOURS LEAF [France (Paris), c.1415].

Illuminated manuscript leaf from a large medieval Book of Hours, 24 cm. x 17 cm, 16 lines of gothic Latin script, written in brown ink with occasional rubrication on vellum, each side featuring two illuminated two-line initials in pink or blue on a burnished gold ground (all with a floral interior in colours including blue, mauve and orange) and two small red, blue & gold fillers, the text surrounded by an attractive rinceaux border with an intricate floral motif containing strawberries (symbol of perfect righteousness), flowers and leaves in blue, mauve, red, green, and burnished gold; presented within a double-sided navy & gilt card mount. *On the upper side the illuminated initial 'P' begins 'Per te dei genitur . . . ' ['Through thee, O Mother of God . . .']. Lower down, the illuminated 'M' begins: 'Mentibus nostris . . .' ['Into our minds, we beseech, Lord, the Holy Spirit benignly pour . . .']. *From the collection of Leona E. Prasse (1897-1984), Curator of Prints and Drawings at the Cleveland Museum of Art from 1925 to 1967. Previously from the collection of Otto F. Ege (1888-1951), lecturer and bookseller (and notorious book breaker!). Item #177087

Price: $6,000.00