Portable Monastic Psalter with Antiphons; Italy, Venice, 15th century, third quarter

Title

Portable Monastic Psalter with Antiphons; Italy, Venice, 15th century, third quarter

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 20

Associated place

Venice

Italian

Place of origin

Italian, Venice

Date

15th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment; paper fly-leaves

Physical extent

232 leaves Leaves were trimmed in rebinding causing the loss of decoration.

Hands

Formal Gothic book hand; black and brown ink.

Decoration

Red and blue KL monograms in the calendar.

Historiated initials on gold background, decorated with acanthus leaves and borders, in rectangular frames, outlined in gold, black and blue, with sprays of flowers, leaves and gold discs, at textual divisions. The initials for psalms 1 and 109 are eight and seven lines high; the initial for psalm 32 is four lines high; other initials are six lines high. There is no border at psalm 109. fol. 8r Psalm 1 (initial B(eatus)), Half-figure of King David playing psaltery. (full border) Medallions and panels, outlined in gold, with IHS monogram in rays of light, doe couchant, half-figure of Mary Magdalene, holding a vessel, and half-figure of St Jerome, beating his chest with a stone. fol. 27v, Psalm 20 (initial D(omine)), Christ surrounded by rays of light, with finger raised, holding a cross-staff. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, in the lower margin, containing half-figure of St Peter, holding keys; initials ‘S[anctus]’ and ‘P[etrus]’ on either side. fol. 33v, Psalm 26 (initial D(ominus)), Half-figure of a young man pointing to his eyes. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, is in the lower margin, containing half-figure of St Paul, holding a sword and a book, looking up at rays of light. fol. 41r, Psalm 32 (initial G(audete)), Coronation of the Virgin. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, is in the lower margin, containing half-figure of Christ (?) carrying the Cross. fol. 50r, Psalm 38 (initial D(ixi)), Half-figure of King David pointing to his eyes. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, in the lower margin, containing IHS monogram in rays of light. fol. 60v, Psalm 45 (initial D(eus)), White arabesque designs on blue background. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, in the lower margin, containing IHS monogram in rays of light. fol. 67r, Psalm 52 (initial D(ixit)), Half-figure of winged armoured St Michael, holding a sword and scales. (full border) A man in short tunic and cloak, holding a sceptre (?), in right margin; laurel wreath with half-figure of St Sebastian. In the lower margin: ‘coprite (?) q’ et f’ce qualche gentileza’. fol. 75v, Psalm 59 (initial D(eus)), Baptism of Christ with three nimbed attendants. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, in the lower margin, with doe couchant. fol. 84r, Psalm 68 (initial S(aluum)), Half-figure of nude King David, praying in waters. (full border) Laurel wreath in the lower margin with half-figure of St James (?) with a pilgrim’s (?) staff, looking up at rays of light. fol. 93v, Psalm 73 (initial U(t)), Coronation of the Virgin. (full border) Laurel wreath, flanked by two rosettes, in the lower margin, with doe couchant behind a wattle fence. fol. 103v, Psalm 79 (initial Q(ui)), Christ holding a lamb over his shoulders. (full border) Laurel wreath in the lower margin with half-figure of John the Evangelist, holding a cross and a book. fol. 111v, Psalm 85 (initial I(nclina)), Two rosettes. (full border) Laurel wreath in the lower margin with half-figure of St Sebastian. fol. 152r, Psalm 109 (initial D(ixit)), Half-figure of Christ, holding an orb and blessing.

Borders: see above.

4- to 6-line initials on gold background, decorated with acanthus leaves, floral and arabesque designs, with sprays of flowers, leaves and gold discs extending into margins, at the beginnings of psalms 95 (fol. 123r), 101 (fol. 130v) and 105 (fol. 138v).

2- to 3-line red and blue initials, most with contrasting purple and red penwork extending into margins, at the beginnings of psalms, hymns, chapters and prayers.

The letter following the initial is usually a capital, decorated with black penwork and highlighted with yellow wash. 4-line blue initial with red penwork at the beginning of a hymn after psalm 19.

1-line plain alternating red and blue initials at the beginnings of verses and periods.

Rubrics in red ink; blue paragraph marks.

Binding

18th century, Italian: thin wood boards; grainy black leather, decorated on each cover with blind and gilt lines to form a blank central panel, its corners marked with a small gilt floral tool; spine with gilt lines and a gilt red-leather label; no clasps; marbled endleaves. Not a standard Canonici style, apart from the spine-label and endleaves. 125–127 92–93 c. 47 (book closed).

(Inherited from a previous binding, before 1516, Venice) gilt gauffered edges with dim outlines of two broad straps; former endleaves (fols. iv-v, 223–4) with marks of broad brown-leather(?) turn-ins and an added inscription marking the Golden Number for 1516.

Acquisition

Bodleian Library: bought in 1817 from Canonici’s nephew Giovanni Perissinotti.

Provenance

Made for the Benedictine monastery of San Servolo, Venice: evidence of the calendar.

Added reference to the Golden Number on fol. v verso: ‘nel 1516. l’auro no occor ere .xvi.’, facing the calendar page for January, alongside the Golden Number ‘xvi’ at 8 January.

Matteo Luigi Canonici of Venice (1727–c. 1806) , but not from the libraries of Soranzo or Trevisan (Mitchell, 1969).

Title

'...Ordo Psalterij secundum consuetudinem sancti Benedicti patris nostri'

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 20

Summary

'...Ordo Psalterij secundum consuetudinem sancti Benedicti patris nostri': including some hymns; preceded by a Calendar (fol. 1), and followed by collects, antiphons, etc. (fol. 198) and a Litany of the Virgin, etc. (fol. 216): imperfect at end.

The Calendar points clearly to Trieste (May 24, St. Servulus in red, with octave: Nov. 23, 'Dedicatio basilice S. Servuli').

Date

Written late in the 15th century at Trieste (?)

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, illuminated borders, with miniatures

Physical extent

226 Leaves