The Martyrdom of St. Catherine, in an initial on a choirbook leaf, manuscript on parchment [Southern Netherlands (perhaps Guelders), dated 1541 (but more probably 1544)]

The Martyrdom of St. Catherine, in an initial on a choirbook leaf, manuscript on parchment [Southern Netherlands (perhaps Guelders), dated 1541 (but more probably 1544)]

Single large leaf, with a large initial G (opening Gaudeamus omnes in domino …, an introit used for various feasts), in delicate gold edged acanthus leaves on a dark brown ground, set on pale peach grounds with a thin brown and white frame, enclosing a scene of St. Catherine kneeling before her executioner as he draws his sword, her wheel in the background with a pile of human heads at its foot as the heavens open and sunlight streams down, a tonsured Cistercian monk in the foreground kneeling in prayer, full decorated border in Ghent-Bruges trompe doeil style with realistic flowers, a peacock, another bird, a dragonfly and a snail laid down on yellow grounds, one coats-of-arms in the bas-de-page (the arms of the Vauderic family of Guelders quartered with an unidentified set of arms), simple red or blue initials, original folio number xxv at head of leaf, red rubrics, 11 lines of text with music on a 4-line black stave (rastrum: 13mm.), 1541 added to lower margin in sixteenth-century hand), a few scratches and tiny flakes to paint, slight discolouration at edges from mounting, excellent condition, 424 by 303mm.; framed

From the same parent manuscript as the previous lot.