Beschreibung:

BIBLE, Latin , with the prologues attributed to St. Jerome and the interpretation of Hebrew names. [Paris, c. 1250]. Illuminated manuscript on vellum, 728 leaves, 1-3024 318, 155 x 103mm. (6 1/8 x 4 1/8in.), written in a very small gothic hand in black ink, double columns of 46 lines, justification (107 x 70mm.), with 82 historiated intials (6-8 lines) in blue, pink, gray, green, orange and touches of liquid gold, many with marginal extensions, including a full-page Creation initial (Gen. 1) and a large Tree of Jesse (Mt.1), 66 illuminated initials (4-6 lines) incorporating scrollwork and grotesques, 2-line chapter initials on almost every page in alternating red and blue, each with pen flourishing in red and blue extending the height of the page, versal initials and paragraph marks in Psalms and interpretation of Hebrew names in alternate red and blue, chapter numbers and running titles in alternating red and blue capitals, the capitals touched in red, rubrics in red. Early textual corrections in margins, traces of contemporary quiring in extreme lower margins. Complete and generally in very fresh condition, 2 leaves lack lower margin (no loss of text), tiny original holes or slits in the margins of some leaves owing to the thinness to which the vellum was scraped, minute original holes in the text area of ca. 10 leaves not affecting text, 1 tear in text (III Kings 2) with no loss of text, early repairs to margins of several leaves, two touching marginal corrections (Judith 8; Eccl. 12), unrepaired notches in margins of 2 leaves (calendar; Rom. 1), one leaf cropped touching marginal correction (Joshua 11), a few leaves lack lower corners due to natural defects in the vellum, (some restored), 1st leaf soiled with frayed corner, last 5 leaves with holes and rust stains in margins, faint damp-stain in extreme upper margins, occasional light spotting or soiling in lower margins. Added in the fifteenth century were seven preliminary leaves with calendar and list of books of the Bible; at the end were added nine leaves listing the epistles and gospels to be read on Sundays and feast days. Binding Fifteenth-century calf over wooden boards, BY LIVINUS STUVAERT AT GHENT, each cover blind-stamped with two impressions of his plaque, a frame of vines surrounding two rows of five grotesque animals flanking the inscription livinus stuuaert me ligauit. Also signed on the front pastedown in elegant bastarda script with an elaborate cadel initial: Liuinus stuuaert me ligauit in gandauo. Traces of fore-edge painting. Covers scuffed and wormed, clasps missing, rebacked. Livinus Stuvaert was active at Ghent and Bruges 1446-1458. In addition to his plaque (Luc Indestege, "Schmuckformen auf flämischen Einbänden im ausgehenden Mittelalter: Beschriftete Rankenplatten," Gutenberg Jahrbuch , 1958, pp. 271-287, no. 104), he signed the pastedowns of his bindings in Latin, Flemish, or French. It is from these inscriptions that his work is mostly known, since many of his volumes have been rebound, including those he executed for Duke Philip the Good of Burgundy (W.H.J. Weale, Bookbindings and Rubbings of Bindings in the National Art Library, South Kensington Museum , London, 1898, pp. lvii, lvix; Rijksuniversiteit te Gent, Boekbanden uit vijf eeuwen , Ghent, 1961, no. 5-6). Bindings by Stuvaert are quite rare. Texts and Decoration Calendar (fols. 1-6v). List of books of the Bible, with the number of chapters in each (fol. 7). Bible (fols. 8-678). Interpretation of Hebrew names (fols. 678-735). Table of epistle and gospel readings de tempore and de sanctis (fols. 736-744v). Calendar includes Amand and Vedast (black, Feb. 6), Translation of St. Eligius (red, June 25), Translation of St. Bertin (black, July 16), Bertin (black, Sept. 5), Remigius, Vedast and Bavo (red, Oct. 1), Donation (black, Oct. 14), Translation of St. Amand (black, Oct. 19), Eligius (red, Dec. 1). A fine example of the small "pearl script" Vulgate Bibles produced in Paris in the t