Illuminated Leaf from a French Book of Hours
Paris: The Workshop of Germain Hardouin, circa 1515. Unbound. This vellum leaf measures 5" x 8". The text is black with decorative borders and initials in red, blue, green, and gilt.
It is from a Pariesan Book of Hours, crafted at the workshop of Germain Hardouin, during the transitional period when illumination and printing were combined in the same texts, intending to produce books that looked like illuminated manuscripts. After printing, pages were adorned with borders, decorations, lines, majescules, etc. The leaf includes an especially nice border decorated with leaves, flowers, and scrolls.
The 62nd Psalm begins at the bottom of the front page:
O God, my God, to thee I do watch at preak of day. For thee my soul hath thirsted; for thee my flesh, O how many way!
In a desert land, and where there is no way, and no water: so in the sanctuary have I come before thee, to see thy power and thy glory.
For they mercy is better than lives: thee my lips shall prase.
Thus will I bless thee all my life long: and in thy name I will lift up my hands.
Let my soul be filled as with marrow and fatness: and my mout shall praise thee with joyful lips. Very good. Item #009973
Price: $750.00