Offered by Emmanuel Soubielle Works of Art
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France, Early 16th Century
Illuminated Leaf from a Book of Hours
Total dimensions: 20.5 x 13.5 cm
Stuccoed and gold-gilded wooden frame
Very fine condition
Written in elegant humanistic script, the text is from the sixth psalm of the Book of Psalms, presented in both the Hebrew and Greek numbering systems. Attributed to King David, as indicated by the first verse, this psalm is one of the seven penitential psalms and is known in Latin as Domine ne in furore. In the Liturgy of the Hours, Psalm 6 is recited or chanted during the Office of Readings on the Monday of the first week.
The miniature depicts King David kneeling in prayer within a landscape. The image is framed by richly decorated antique-style borders in the Veneto-Paduan fashion: baluster vases, sphinxes, a leafy mascaron, scrolling foliage, an eagle, dolphins, and more.
Below, two facing sphinxes flank a medallion bust of a man in profile, facing left, wearing a hat and a necklace. The legend reads: MOERIS THIBIVILIERIVS AETATIS SVAE XXXIII.
