The Old Testament Prophet Tobit, in a large historiated initial on a leaf from a very large Antiphonary, in Latin, illuminated manuscript on vellum [Italy (Bologna or Ferrara?), mid 15th century]

£10,000 · Offered by Maggs Bros Ltd

Text and illumination: The initial on the verso of the leaf introduces a passage from Tobit 3:15, set to music: ‘Peto domine ut de vinculo improperii huius absolvas me …’ (I ask you Lord, in order that you absolve me from the fetter of this burden …); the recto has the preceding antiphon ‘Ne reminiscaris domine delicta mea vel parentum meorum …’ (Do not remember, Lord, my misdeeds or those of my parents …), introduced by a rubric ‘Sabbato .iiij. dominice mensis Septembris. Ad matutinas. Antiphona.’ (i.e. the Matins antiphon for the Saturday of the 4th Sunday of September). About half of the Church year has feasts that relate to the birth (Christmas) and death (Easter) of Jesus: from the beginning of Advent (four Sundays before Christmas), until Pentecost (seven Sundays after Easter). The rest of the year, from Pentecost until the following Advent, typically comprises twenty to twenty-four more weeks (depending on whether Easter in a particular year falls late or early); the liturgical texts for this period are known as the ‘Summer histories’, and are drawn from the Old Testament books of Kings, Wisdom, Job, Tobit, Judith, Esther, Ezra, and Maccabees. From late September the readings are from the Old Testament book of the prophet Tobit, as on the present leaf, which explains why he is depicted in the present initial. The figure is depicted in an active stance, as if turning his head away from the bright rays that shine down from heaven, and raising one hand, either in surprise

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