The following pages contain photographs and descriptions of literary leaves
 from the Lorraine Lemire Medieval Manuscript Collection now on permanent display in
the Alison Eliason Library. You may view these items by appointment at the Library.
These leaves are not for sale.

Psalter Leaf, Circa 1390-1430

The following leaf is from a medieval manuscript Psalter,
Flanders or possibly Ghent
 In Latin, On Vellum. 90 X 125 mm.

Sixteen Lines are in a single column Gothic Script with a two-line initial "O" with an
upper extension that  runs from the first line to the last line of the text.  The initial is in
 a highly burnished gold on a blue and pale red background.  This leaf has two panels,
both top and bottom with sprays of ivy leaves and floral patterns of blue, red, green
and orange, with many of the floral and ivy leaves filled in with highly burnished gold. 
The Verso contains sixteen lines and has a two-line initial "N" in highly embossed
gold placed in the middle of extenders; two panels, both top and bottom
with sprays of ivy leaves and floral patterns of blue, red, green and orange,
with many of the floral and ivy leaves filled in with highly burnished gold.*   

Contact:  Marc Belair, 360-738-4919
marcjamesllc@comcast.net

View of Bruges

 Book of Hours, Southern Netherlands, Most Likely Bruges,
Use of Rome, circa 1460,
 in Latin and on Vellum (174 x 112 mm)
 

 These particular leaves are from the section known as the Hours of the Cross, Hymn at Sextand,
originated from a fragment lacking a minimum of fifteen leaves and all miniatures.

	Recto: There are sixteen lines ruled in red ink with a written space in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed Gothic liturgical script, rubrics are in red, capitals touched in red, versal initials alternately blue and burnished gold with pen work in red and black, three quarter illuminated borders sprouting from illuminated bars and formed of color and burnished gold flowers, fruit and ivy leaves on black hairline sprays.*
	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*
	Recto: There are sixteen lines ruled in red ink with a written space in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed Gothic liturgical script, rubrics are in red, capitals touched in red, versal initials alternately blue and burnished gold with pen work in red and black, three quarter illuminated borders sprouting from illuminated bars and formed of color and burnished gold flowers, fruit and ivy leaves on black hairline sprays.*
	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*

These photos are the Recto from this book and the text describes the Verso.

	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*
	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*
	Verso:  Sixteen lines in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*
	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink, written in dark brown ink in a small and well-formed gothic liturgical script.*
	Verso: Sixteen lines ruled in red ink in a small and well- formed gothic liturgical script and two line initials in burnished gold.*

 * Provenance:  Anthony L. Griffon Ph.D. Collection, Griffon's Medieval Manuscripts.

Bruges

The written word of Western Europe medieval manuscripts links western culture to a past
of Castles and Knights, Cathedrals and Crusaders. The painted and illuminated manuscript
is amongst the greatest artistic triumphs of the Middle Ages, demonstrating social, intellectual,
and religious and cultural attitudes of medieval life.

Most surviving manuscripts are of a religious nature, Churches and many Homes kept books
with various compilations of scripture. Manuscript books were tediously but carefully written by hand,
each page with unique initials and decoration. The creation of an illuminated manuscript was complex
and required the joint labors of professional scribes to write the text in scripts of their time
and Artists to illuminate the pages with decorated initials and foliated borders.
Vellum of soft, unblemished calf, goat or sheepskin was scraped to an even thinness and smoothed
with pumice stone until flexible, opaque and white. The sheets were ruled leaving spaces for initials
and the text carefully copied with a quill in uniform calligraphy. The scribe would often write
the initial letter of a chapter or prayer larger in red called rubrics.
Decoration was added to the borders and initials with pen-work flourishes and
branch extenders in colors of Gold. Pigments used by the
Medieval Painter were the rich, dark blue of lapis lazuli or azurite, vermilion red,
 verdigris and malachite green.

Leaves from manuscripts dating from the 13th Century though the early 17th centuries
come from fragmentary books that have not survived the ravages of time.
 

____Anthony L. Griffon Ph.D.