Anonymous Bolognese illuminator
Two Historiated and Two Decorated Initials on Three Leaves from a Bible in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (probably Bologna) 13th century, c.1270s].
Attractive Bolognese penwork and painting on leaves from a Bible broken up by 1963.

c.305 × 225mm. 2 columns of 47 lines, the text comprising Amos 9 – Jonah 1, and two consecutive leaves: Jerome’s prologue to the Canonical Epistles – James 4, and James 4 – I Peter 2, the first with a historiated initial depicting a half-length youthful figure of Obadiah, with a foliate initial on the verso, the second with a large foliate initial ‘I’ terminating in a hooded man’s head, the third with a historiated initial depicting St Peter half-length holding the keys and blessing (upper margin somewhat stained, outer and lower margins somewhat cockled, the first leaf with some loss of ink in the text but all initials in fine condition)

Provenance:
(1) From the same Bible as a leaf in the McCarthy Collection (G. Freuler, McCarthy Collection, I (2018), no. 23), of which ten more leaves were in the Rosenbaum collection, sold at Sotheby’s, 25 April 1983, lot 30 (ill.).
(2) Colker MS 22; acquired in 1963 from Dawson’s Book Shop, Los Angeles.

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