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Miniature from a Psalter
Illuminator:
Brailes, William de
Scribe:
Brailes, William de
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: trimmed miniature including medallions 184 x 167 mm (diameter of circle 161 mm), inlaid in a modern parchment leaf 364 x 290 mm
DECORATION: Full-page circular miniature framed in tan and outlined in black on blue and reddish brown ground with concentric circles containing foliate ornament and gold ground ornamented with punched dots: Wheel of Fortune, with crowned female personification of Fortune enthroned at the centre, turning the wheel, which is surrounded by eight semi-circular compartments depicting the story of Theophilus (clockwise from top right): the tonsured clerk Theophilus, holding scroll inscribed INCIPIT YSTORIA THEOPILI, is dismissed from his post; half-naked, seated Theophilus, holding scroll inscribed IN PAUP[ER]TATE DESPERO, lamenting his impoverished state; naked Theophilus makes pact with the devil; Theophilus enthroned, with his fortune restored by the devil, and flanked by demons; repentant Theophilus, holding scroll inscribed MISERE MISERI DIABOLO CAR[TAM] FECI, prays to the Virgin whose scroll reads MARIA AD TEOPHILUM; the Virgin with scroll reading S[AN]CTA MARIA retrieves charter from the devil; Theophilus kneels before the Virgin who gives him the charter; Theophilus’ body lies in tomb while angels transport his soul to heaven. Sixteen subsidiary scenes in two medallions (centre top and bottom), and fourteen semi-circular compartments around the outer edge of the wheel show the Ages of Man (clockwise from bottom left): woman with baby approached by female figure, possibly Fortune, holding scroll inscribed INCIPIT ROTA FORTU[N]E; toddler pushing wheeled cart; youth with bow and quiver; young man holding scroll inscribed [RURSUS AD ASTRA] FEROR; young man with sceptre; bearded man with staff; bearded man holding sceptres; enthroned king with scroll reading GLOR[I]E [E]LATUS; king with broken sceptre and crown toppling from head; man falling to his knees, cloak in disarray; man falling downwards; man falling headlong downwards with scroll inscribed DE[S]CENDO [MIN]ORIFICATUS; half-naked man, wringing his hands as he falls; half-naked man plunges down; man falls on his back; half-naked man lies naked on ground with scroll emerging from his mouth inscribed INFIMUS AXA TENOR.
History note: Provenance note: Joseph-Baptiste Barrois (1784-1855); Bertram, fourth earl of Ashburnham (1797-1878); Bertram, fifth earl of Ashburnham (1840-1913); his sale, Sotheby’s, London, 10-14 June 1901, Barrois collection, lot 404; purchased by Quaritch; George C. Thomas of Philadelphia; Dr A.S.W. Rosenbach (1876-1952); purchased from him by Sydney Cockerell in 1920 for Sir Alfred Chester Beatty (1875-1968); his sale, Sotheby’s, London, 7 June 1932, lot 11; withdrawn before the sale at Sydney Cockerell’s initiative and purchased for the Museum by the National Art Collections Fund in 1932.
Purchased from Alfred Chester Beatty, through the National Art Collections Fund
Method of acquisition: Bought (1932) by Beatty, Chester
13th Century, first half
Circa
1230
CE
-
Circa
1250
CE
Support
composed of
parchment
Of Circle
Diameter 161 mm
Miniature
Height 184 mm
Width 167 mm
Parchment Leaf
Height 364 mm
Width 290 mm
Accession number: MS 330.iv
Primary reference Number: 209487
Project ID: 3491
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Manuscripts and Printed Books
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
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IIIF Manifest
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Miniature from a Psalter" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/209487 Accessed: 2024-11-22 03:08:42
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/209487
|title=Miniature from a Psalter
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 03:08:42|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Miniature from a Psalter</figcaption>
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