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Leaves From A Psalter, England, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The leaves shown here provide a prime example of the portable Psalter. Measuring 13 x 9.5, its convenient size allowed the owner to carry it around easily. Psalm 118's 176 verses praise the Divine Law and are divided into twenty-two sections comprised of eight verses, each called strophes.

Leaves From A Psalter, England, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The leaves shown here provide a prime example of the portable Psalter. Measuring 13 x 9.5, its convenient size allowed the owner to carry it around easily. Psalm 118's 176 verses praise the Divine Law and are divided into twenty-two sections comprised of eight verses, each called strophes.

Leaf From The Middle Of The Penitential Psalms, England Or The Netherlands, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf is the oldest in the exhibition. It contains the opening of Psalm 50. Typically, the Psalms are paired together in a sequence that composes the Penitential Psalms; these passages would have been the third and fourth sections.

Leaf From The Middle Of The Penitential Psalms, England Or The Netherlands, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf is the oldest in the exhibition. It contains verses 23-30 of Psalm 37. Typically, the Psalms are paired together in a sequence that composes the Penitential Psalms; these passages would have been the third and fourth sections.

Psalter [Manuscript Leaf Hu 13]

Medieval Manuscripts

• Country of origin: France
• Date: ca. 1285
• Citations: none
• Provenance: Virginia Webb, Hollins Class of 1933
• Other: Red and blue decorations and lettering, Illumination

Missal [Manuscript Leaf, Hu 5b]

Medieval Manuscripts

• Country of origin: Beauvais, France
• Date: 1285
• Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 11
• Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
• Other: red and blue lettering and decoration, illumination, neumes, historiated initial

Missal [Manuscript Leaf, Hu 5a]

Medieval Manuscripts

• Country of origin: Beauvais, France
• Date: 1285
• Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 11.
• Provenance: McVitty (Ege)
• Other: red and blue lettering and decoration, illumination, neumes

Monte Mario Breviary, Catholic Church

Historical Catholic and Dominican Documents

A 13^th century manuscript preserved by the nuns of Monte Mario, Rome, who claim the breviary was a gift from Jordan of Saxony to the Blessed Diana d’Andalo as a remembrance of St. Dominic.

The Blessed Diana d’Andalò (1201–1236), was the Dominican nun who founded a convent for her order dedicated to Saint Agnes in Italy. There is some question as to the claim however. According to Father William R. Bonniwell, O.P., who obtained this photocopy of the breviary, the handwriting style stems from the middle of the 13^th century. This would date the manuscript to at least …

Donatus (Aelius) Ars Grammatica Cum Commento Marginali Incerti Auctoris Fragmenta Saec. Xiii., Aelius Donatus

Medieval Manuscript Fragments

No abstract provided.

Leaf From A Psalter, Netherlands, Flanders, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

During the thirteenth century, wealthy laity often commissioned Psalters with extensive decoration. This particular leaf from Flanders features several burnished gold leaf initials marking the beginning of each line of the Psalms.

Bifolium From A Breviary, Use Of Sarum, England, Verso A, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Breviary is the principal service book for the celebration of the Divine Office. Taking place in the church choir, this service is organized around the eight canonical hours of the day. This bifolium from a portable Breviary is highly embellished with decoration. The six-line decorated initial S is surrounded by burnished gold leaf and fleshy acanthus leaves that extend through the length of the textbook. A few of the two-line initials also are embellished with gold leaf, further indicating that this Breviary was made for a wealthy cleric.

Leaf From A Psalter, Netherlands, Flanders, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

During the thirteenth century, wealthy laity often commissioned Psalters with extensive decoration. This particular leaf from Flanders features several burnished gold leaf initials marking the beginning of each line of the Psalms.

Bifolium From A Breviary, Use Of Sarum, England, Verso B, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Breviary is the principal service book for the celebration of the Divine Office. Taking place in the church choir, this service is organized around the eight canonical hours of the day. This bifolium from a portable Breviary is highly embellished with decoration. The six-line decorated initial S is surrounded by burnished gold leaf and fleshy acanthus leaves that extend through the length of the textbook. A few of the two-line initials also are embellished with gold leaf, further indicating that this Breviary was made for a wealthy cleric.

Breviary [Hu 7]

Medieval Manuscripts

• Country of origin: Germany
• Date: ca. 1225
• Citations: Bond, W. H. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in the United States and Canada, no. 13.
• Provenance: McVitty

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of I Corinthians, And The Prologue To Beginning Of Ii Corinthians, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

I Corinthians and II Corinthians are two of the epistles of the apostle Paul. In this Bible, the epistle is preceded by a prologue indicated with a decorated initial containing a hybrid figure. A figure initial inhabited by Paul opens the text of the letter. The bald, bearded apostle holds a sword, the instrument of his martyrdom.

Bible B, Leaf With Part Of A Prologue To And The Beginning Of Job, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Book of Job tells us of a pious man by the name of Job, who became the subject of debate between Satan and God. In the tale, God allows Satan to tempt and torture Job in every way, provided that Satan was not allowed to kill Job.

Bible B, Leaf With The End Of The First Epistle And The Beginning Of The Second Epistle Of Peter, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Second Epistle of Peter is a testament in which Peter desires to be remembered for his Christian teachings. The epistle also stresses the significance of the grace of God while emphasizing the need for individual and collective moral effort in order to attain final salvation.

Bible F, Leaf With Psalms 51 (52) Through 55 (56), Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

We get a hint of how the scribe indicated the location and nature of the flourished initials to the illuminator. At the top of the left column, the scribe penned a small guideltter "e" before the blank space he left for the flourished initial. The illuminator, however, seems to have overlooked the opening initial to this psalm (Psalm 54 [55]).

Bible C, Leaf With Job, Chapters 25-29, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Book of Job explores human suffering and the necessity of faith. In Chapters 25 through 29, Job laments the loss of his blessed past. Line two of Chapter 29 stresses his feelings: "How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me."

Bible C, Leaf With The End Of Psalm 118 (119) And The First Linke Of Psalm 119 (120), Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf is without illumination, but contains alternating red and blue pen flourished initials, which provide a visual break-up of the different Psalms. In addition, each verse is marked with a red notation to aide the reader.

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of Exodus, And The Beginning Of Leviticus, Verso, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Exodus tells a miraculous story of the redemption of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and their wanderings in the desert, led by Moses. It concludes with Joshua leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. Leviticus, which describes different priestly duties and rituals, follows the Book of Exodus.

Bible A, Leaf With The Beginning Of Lamentations, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Lamentations is a collection of poems ascribed to the prophet Jeremiah and its first chapter explains how the city of Jerusalem became "unclean." Lamentations opens with a miniature which references Jeremiah's prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem. His face is taut with sadness and his head tilts downward. Next to him, the walls of the city of Jerusalem are pictured.

Bible A, Leaf With The Prologue To And Beginning Of The Prophesy Of Ezekiel, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The leaf begins the Prophesy of Ezekiel. A decorated initial "E" begins the prologue. The historiated initial "E," depicting Ezekiel sleeping with the vision of the four heads of the beasts above him, begins the incipit. The inclusion of halos above each beast's head points to Christian interpretation of the animals of the tetramorph as the four evangelists.

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of Jerome's Prologue To Daniel, And The Beginning Of Daniel, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Book of Daniel is introduced with a historiated initial containing an image from the narrative of Daniel in the den of lions. God's protection of Daniel is shown in the illuminator with Daniel in the pit, embracing two light-lipped, rather docile lions. A dragon peeks around the edge of the initial towards the viewer.

Bible A, Leaf With The Beginning Of Daniel, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The protagonist of this book, Daniel, is a young Jewish man who remained faithful to God even though Israel had fallen into the hands of the Babylonians and later the Persians. The first half of the book is historical narrative containing six stories, five about Daniel and one about his friends.

Bible A, Leaf With Obadiah And The Prologue To And Beginning Of Jonas, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The Book of Obadiah is the shortest of the prophetic books, and consists of only twenty-one verses. It contains a denunciation of Judah's traditional enemies, the Edomites, who assisted in the overthrow of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar. Also included is the prologue and beginning of Jonas, the fifth book of the twelve Minor Prophets. The tale relates the events of Jonas' life as opposed to addressing mystical themes of prophesy.

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of Amos, The Prologue, And Obadiah, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

This leaf contains the conclusion of the Book of Amos and part of the book of Obadiah. The Book of Amos, of which our collection contains chapter eight, exposes the callous ways of living among the nobility of ancient Samaria in the Northern Kingdom. The Book of Obadiah is the shortest of the prophetic books, and consists of only twenty-one verses. It contains a denunciation of Judah's traditional enemies, the Edomites, who assisted in the overthrow of Judah by Nebuchadnezzar.

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of Prologue To, And The Beginning Of Luke, Recto, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

Luke, the third Gospel Book in the New Testament, presents the works and teachings of Jesus from his birth until his ascension into heaven. The letter "F" encases Zacharias, who is introduced almost instantly in the text, as a priest in the Jewish temple. Here he is shown putting incense on God's altar.

Bible A, Leaf With The End Of The Epistle Of Paul To The Ephesians, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

The ending of Paul's letter to the Ephesians.

Bible A, Leaf With Prologue To Beginning Of Ii Corinthians, Unknown

Sacred Leaves Manuscript Collection

I Corinthians and II Corinthians are two of the epistles of the apostle Paul.