Beschreibung:

AN INHABITED INITIAL 'S', cut from an Antiphonal, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
AN INHABITED INITIAL 'S', cut from an Antiphonal, in Latin, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM [Northern France, c.1500] 188 x 188mm. The initial in blue with azure and white helical decoration; the infill inhabited by a blue snail and a green dragon, among sprays of leaves and blue, red and pink flowers, all against a ground of gold. The reverse with two lines of text and music: '[sa]nctoque fla[mini qui] totum sub[dit]'. The initial 'S' would likely have opened the Responsory for the feast of the Trinity: 'Summae trinitati simplici deo'. The flamboyant decoration and attention to detail indicates that the intact Antiphonal would have been a luxurious production.