![ST MARTIN AND THE BEGGAR, historiated initial 'H' on a leaf from an illuminated Antiphonal on vellum [Venice, c.1300]](https://www.christies.com/img/LotImages/2018/CKS/2018_CKS_16018_0010_000(st_martin_and_the_beggar_historiated_initial_h_on_a_leaf_from_an_illum093920).jpg?w=1)
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ST MARTIN AND THE BEGGAR, historiated initial 'H' on a leaf from an illuminated Antiphonal on vellum [Venice, c.1300]
A vibrant example of Venetian illumination at the turn of the 14th century: a sensitive rendering of the story of St Martin of Tours, who clothed a beggar he had encountered by slicing his own cloak in half.
351 x 241mm. 8 lines of text and music, initial 'H' ('Hic est Martinus electus Dei pontifex') opening the first nocturn of matins for the feast of St Martin of Tours, celebrated on 11 November, ruled space: 235 x 160mm, foliated ccxvii in red, verso with 8 lines of text and music (light crease through miniature and to right margin, small tear on lower edge, text on verso slightly faded). Mounted and framed.
Provenance: The leaf was originally f.217 in the Sanctorale of an Antiphonal; one companion leaf (formerly f.188v, a leaf with a historiated initial 'H' depicting the Birth of the Virgin) is known — the layout, with eight lines of text and music subdivided by red lines, suggests influence from Bolognese and Venetian choirbook production of the Trecento, and it has been suggested that the present leaf came from an Antiphonal produced in around 1300 in a workshop in the milieu of San Marco in Venice.
The style of illumination with heavily modelled faces heightened by touches of white, is indebted to Byzantine currents popular both in Venice and Bologna. It is close to the work of the Pseudo Gerona Master, but the anatomical articulation is more evolved, and the artist displays a skilful and expressive handling of the human form.
A vibrant example of Venetian illumination at the turn of the 14th century: a sensitive rendering of the story of St Martin of Tours, who clothed a beggar he had encountered by slicing his own cloak in half.
351 x 241mm. 8 lines of text and music, initial 'H' ('Hic est Martinus electus Dei pontifex') opening the first nocturn of matins for the feast of St Martin of Tours, celebrated on 11 November, ruled space: 235 x 160mm, foliated ccxvii in red, verso with 8 lines of text and music (light crease through miniature and to right margin, small tear on lower edge, text on verso slightly faded). Mounted and framed.
Provenance: The leaf was originally f.217 in the Sanctorale of an Antiphonal; one companion leaf (formerly f.188v, a leaf with a historiated initial 'H' depicting the Birth of the Virgin) is known — the layout, with eight lines of text and music subdivided by red lines, suggests influence from Bolognese and Venetian choirbook production of the Trecento, and it has been suggested that the present leaf came from an Antiphonal produced in around 1300 in a workshop in the milieu of San Marco in Venice.
The style of illumination with heavily modelled faces heightened by touches of white, is indebted to Byzantine currents popular both in Venice and Bologna. It is close to the work of the Pseudo Gerona Master, but the anatomical articulation is more evolved, and the artist displays a skilful and expressive handling of the human form.
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