ST PETER, historiated initial 'L' on a leaf from an illuminated Antiphonal on vellum [Lombardy or Siena, c.1470s]

ST PETER, historiated initial 'L' on a leaf from an illuminated Antiphonal on vellum [Lombardy or Siena, c.1470s]

A pristine example of the work of the Lombard illuminator Venturino Mercati, or Venturino d'Andrea da Milano, active in Lombardy, Tuscany and Emilia during the 1470s.

450 x 310mm. The historiated initial 'L' opening 'Levavi oculos meos ad montes', the beginning of Psalm 121. 7 lines of text and music on a 4-line stave, reverse with one penwork initial in red (some cockling and marginal staining). Provenance: Perhaps from the same parent manuscript as a group of at least three cuttings sold in 1873 to Enrico Cernuschi (1821-1896), of Paris and Menton; his sale Paris, 25 May 1900, lots 147 and 153-54. A further two are from the openings of Psalms 53 and 80 (Maggs Bulletin 5, 1967, no 13; and A. De Floriani in F. Todini, ed., La Spezia, Museo Civico Amedeo Lia, Miniature, 1996, pp. 56-58, no. 10). A final cutting with King David opening Psalm 27 was sold at Sotheby's, 7 July 2009, lot 8. (2) This cutting sold at Sotheby's, 18 June 1996, lot 23. (3) BEL, Illuminations, 1996, no 13, there attributed to Venturino Mercati da Milano.

Indebted to the Master of the Vitae Imperatorum, Belbello da Pavia and Jacopo da Balsemo, Venturino Mercati is best known for his work on a series of choirbooks produced for Monteoliveto Maggiore in Siena (Chiusi, Museo della Cattedrale, MSS B, C, D, E, F, H, I, K, L, M and N).

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