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Historiated initial from a Gradual: Marlay cutting It. 13A

An image of Cutting (manuscript)
View image details Mirador icon - view image Mirador deep zoom IIIF Manifest IIIF Manifest Slow looking

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Alternative views

An image of Cutting (manuscript)
An image of Cutting (manuscript)
An image of Cutting (manuscript)
Current Location: In storage

Titles

Historiated initial from a Gradual

Maker(s)

Artist: Gherarducci, Don Silvestro dei
Artist: Canzoni, Maestro delle
Artist: Rosselli, Niccolo
Artist: Francesco di Ser Cenni, Cenni di

Entities

Categories

Description

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Parchment, initial aprox. 300 x 270 mm, mounted on cardboard.

CONTENTS: The initial S, pasted on cardboard, would have opened the Introit to the Mass for the Purification of the Virgin (2 February), Suscepimus, Deus, misericordiam in medio templi tui.

DECORATION: Historiated initial in graded blue, orange, pale yellow and liquid gold with acanthus extensions on a ground of gold leaf: [S] Presentation in the Temple with Simeon and Anna holding the infant Christ on the right, Mary and Joseph on the left, and a mitred priest behind holding the knife for Christ’s circumcision.

Notes

History note: The initial belonged to a choir book made for the Camaldolese Monastery of Santa Maria degli Angeli in Florence: Corale 2 (Gradual), fol. 42; excised during the Napoleonic campaigns, 1797-1809; thereafter: possibly the property of William Young Ottley (1771-1836) (Freuler 1997, 353); Francis Douce (1757-1834), a note attached to the back of the mount, attributing the illumination to Don Silvestro, is believed to be in his hand; Sir Samuel Meyrick (1783-1848); acquired before 1886 by Charles Brinsley Marlay (1831-1912); his bequest, 1912.

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Bequeathed (1912) by Marlay, Charles Brinsley

Dating

14th Century, second half
Circa 1370 CE - Circa 1375 CE

People, subjects and objects depicted

Project

  • Cambridge Illuminated

Materials used in production

Gold

Components of the work

Support composed of parchment

Techniques used in production

Illumination

References and bibliographic entries

Related exhibitions

Identification numbers

Accession number: Marlay cutting It. 13A
Primary reference Number: 166628
Project ID: 1365

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Tuesday 27 August 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Manuscripts and Printed Books

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Historiated initial from a Gradual" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/166628 Accessed: 2025-12-05 19:55:04

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/166628 |title=Historiated initial from a Gradual |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 19:55:04|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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