![The Assumption, historiated initial 'U' cut from an illuminated choirbook on vellum [Siena, late 13th century]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0009_000(the_assumption_historiated_initial_u_cut_from_an_illuminated_choirbook093909).jpg?w=1)
Details
The Assumption, historiated initial 'U' cut from an illuminated choirbook on vellum [Siena, late 13th century]
A beautiful miniature in the style of the Master of the Gradual of Cortona, named after a Franciscan Gradual produced c.1290 for the church of San Francesco in Cortona (now Vatican City, BAV, Graduale, Ross. 612), influenced by the work of the Primo Maestro dei Corali del Duomo.
128 x 114mm. Reverse with two partial lines of text and music of square notation. The initial opens the text for the Feast of the Assumption (light creasing and smudging, small losses of pigment to the blue background). Mounted and framed.
The heavy eyebrows of the figures and soft palette so reminiscent of the early work of Pacino di Bonaguida, and the general compositional style can be compared to a small number of works attributed to the Master of the Gradual of Cortona. Among these, an initial 'A' with Christ in Majesty previously in the collection of Eric Korner, Sotheby's 9 July 2009, lot 104 (see A. Labriola, 'La miniatura nei libri francescani: devozione e ideologia', L'arte di Francesco. Capolavori d'arte italiana e terre d'Asia dal XIII al XV secolo, exh. cat., Florence, Galleria dell'Accademia, 2015, p. 137 and A. Labriola, C. De Benedictis, G. Freuler, La miniatura senese 1270-1420, Siena, 2002, p.30 and pp.262- 265).
A beautiful miniature in the style of the Master of the Gradual of Cortona, named after a Franciscan Gradual produced c.1290 for the church of San Francesco in Cortona (now Vatican City, BAV, Graduale, Ross. 612), influenced by the work of the Primo Maestro dei Corali del Duomo.
128 x 114mm. Reverse with two partial lines of text and music of square notation. The initial opens the text for the Feast of the Assumption (light creasing and smudging, small losses of pigment to the blue background). Mounted and framed.
The heavy eyebrows of the figures and soft palette so reminiscent of the early work of Pacino di Bonaguida, and the general compositional style can be compared to a small number of works attributed to the Master of the Gradual of Cortona. Among these, an initial 'A' with Christ in Majesty previously in the collection of Eric Korner, Sotheby's 9 July 2009, lot 104 (see A. Labriola, 'La miniatura nei libri francescani: devozione e ideologia', L'arte di Francesco. Capolavori d'arte italiana e terre d'Asia dal XIII al XV secolo, exh. cat., Florence, Galleria dell'Accademia, 2015, p. 137 and A. Labriola, C. De Benedictis, G. Freuler, La miniatura senese 1270-1420, Siena, 2002, p.30 and pp.262- 265).
Brought to you by
Robert Tyrwhitt