[Manuscript illumination: capital O]
Collection:CSM Museum & Study Collection
Date: [late 13th century] - [early 14th century]
Dimensions:
Image: 145 x 140 mm (14.5 x 14 cm)
Medium: Paint, gold leaf on vellum.
Object number: F.30
DescriptionManuscript fragment, formerly mounted on card. Historiated initial "O", Christ (identified by cross in halo) is seated with two fingers raised in blessing. Behind him, rendered in a wonderful monochromatic manner (with light orange overpainting on a darker orange ground) stands a choir of monks. Floriate decoration and overpainting; all set within a rectilinear ground. Verso - musical notation, textualis rotunda with rubrics.
With most European manuscript illuminations, halos are used to distinguish Saints from other figures; Christ can always be recognised because of the small cross within his halo. This major initial may be for the opening 'passage' of a Gradual or Antiphoner, it would certainly have been an indication of something important. When compared to the size of the text and musical notation on the verso, this initial does seem very large; the richness of colour and the skill involved in the making of such an illumination further indicate that this would have been important to the text as a whole.
With most European manuscript illuminations, halos are used to distinguish Saints from other figures; Christ can always be recognised because of the small cross within his halo. This major initial may be for the opening 'passage' of a Gradual or Antiphoner, it would certainly have been an indication of something important. When compared to the size of the text and musical notation on the verso, this initial does seem very large; the richness of colour and the skill involved in the making of such an illumination further indicate that this would have been important to the text as a whole.