Item Info

Language: Latin
Folio Number: front 26:23
Source: Rare Book Department
Notes: Initial D with an unidentified male saint
Notes: This cutting and its sister cuttings (Lewis E M 26:20-29), all from the same antiphonary, are some of the earliest examples of medieval Italian manuscript illumination in the Free Library's collection. Nearly thirty years after the execution of these initials, the character of Italian illumination and painting would fundamentally change under the leadership of artists such as the Florentine painter Giotto. The abstract tendencies in medieval art seen in these cuttings would eventually give way to a more naturalistic approach to representation, marking the beginning of the Renaissance in the history of art.

The identity of this saint portrayed here and the precise moment in the liturgy that this initial begins remain to be determined.
Notes: This cuttings can be dated to ca. 1260-1270.
Sirsi Catalog Key: 1677933
Country: Country:Italy
City/Town/Township:Padua or Venice

Creation Year (Single Year or Range Begin): 1299
Image Dimensions Width: 66 mm
ShelfMark: Lewis E M 26:20-29