Portable Ferial Secular Psalter with Antiphons, Use of Rome; Italy, Venice (?), 15th century, third quarter

Title

Portable Ferial Secular Psalter with Antiphons, Use of Rome; Italy, Venice (?), 15th century, third quarter

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 289

Place of origin

Italian, Venice(?)

Date

15th century, third quarter

Language

Latin

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment; paper fly-leaves

Physical extent

245 leaves

Hands

Large formal Gothic book hand, black and brown ink.

Decoration

fol. 1r, Hymns for Matins on Sundays (miniature), King David kneeling on rocky ground, hands joined in prayer; landscape with cities in the background; half-figure of God, blessing, in clouds above; rectangular frame, decorated with laurel garlands.

(initial V(enite)) 5-line initial on gold background, infilled with a bust of a bearded saint.

(full border) Rectangular border outlined in pink, blue, green and gold, decorated with filigree scrolls, gold discs, flowers, birds, masks, a vase and miniatures: (1) vase with flowers, mounted on a brick wall with a doorway; (2) squirrel; (3) rabbit; (4) deer, lying behind a fence with a scroll in the background. In the lower margin two kneeling angels support a laurel wreath with a coat of arms: quarterly 1 and 4 argent a fess gules, Zorzi of Venice (?); 2 and 3 party per bend sinister or and azure (Pächt and Alexander, 1966–73).

fol. 2v, Psalm 1 (initial B(eatus)), 6-line initial on gold background decorated with foliage, infilled with the bust of King David.

(full border) Foliage, flowers, filigree scrolls and gold discs.

4- to 5-line initials on gold background, decorated with foliage, and full borders, decorated with filigree scrolls, flowers, fruit and gold discs at the beginnings of psalm 109 (fol. 172r) and the hymnal (fol. 202r).

2- to 4-line initials on gold background, decorated with foliage and gold discs at liturgical divisions at psalms 26 (fol. 54r), 38 (fol. 74v), 52 (fol. 91r), 68 (fol. 107r), 80 (fol. 130v) and 97 (fol. 148r).

2-line initial on gold background and border, decorated with filigree scrolls, flowers, fruit and gold discs at the beginning of a hymn on fol. 1v.

3-line red or blue initials, decorated with contrasting blue or red penwork, at liturgical divisions at the beginnings of psalms 15 (fol. 13r), 114 (fol. 176v), 121 (fol. 179r) and 131 (fol. 184v).

2-line alternating red and blue initials, decorated with contrasting blue or red penwork at the beginnings of psalms, prayers, litany and hymns.

1-line plain red or blue initials at the beginning of verses and periods.

Initials are not filled in on fol. 2r. Guide-letters and instructions for the rubricator (e.g. fols. 188v, 189r) sometimes survive.

Rubrics in red ink, occasionally not filled in in the psalter and hymnal (e.g. fols. 130r, 217r, 229v).

Binding

Soranzo’s binding: parchment over pasteboard; small stiff flaps on the fore-edges of covers. ‘289’ written in black ink on spine. Brown leather label on spine, framed with gilt arabesque designs, with gilt lettering ‘BREV. ROM. || JUXTA RIT. || CONSUET. || COD . MEMB.’. Fragment of a paper label on spine printed ‘Can[on.] || Lit[urg ... ]’. Pastedowns and fly-leaves of stiff paper with burgundy, purple and yellow floral designs (carta bassanese). Further fly-leaves made of 18th-century laid paper; no watermarks.

Acquisition

Bodleian Library: bought in 1817 from Canonici’s nephew Giovanni Perissinotti. Earlier shelfmark: ‘E Codd. Bodl Miscell Liturg 289’ (fol. 1v).

Provenance

Made in Venice (?): evidence of decoration; coat of arms of Zorzi of Venice (?)quartered with another family (fol. 1r).

Jacopo Soranzo (1686–1761) : binding. After Soranzo’s death by about 1780 at Cá Cornèr at San Maurizio, Venice (Mitchell, 1969).

Matteo Luigi Canonici of Venice (1727–c. 1806) : bought soon after 1780.

Title

A Roman Psalter

Shelfmark

MS. Canon. Liturg. 289

Summary

A Roman Psalter (fol. 1) followed by:

A hymnal (fol. 202)

Litany (fol. 233)

Offitium in Agenda Mortuorum (fol. 239v: imperf. at end)

On fol. 1 are the arms, quarterly 1st and 4th argent a fess gules, 2nd and 3rd party per bend sinister or and azure (perhaps of Georgi of Venice).

Date

Written in the 15th century in Italy

Language

Latin

Physical facet

On parchment, with some small miniatures, borders, etc.

Physical extent

243 Leaves