Leaves from Choir Books

Script and Textual Contents

Description and Contents

 

MS 196: the initial D opened the responsory for the first lesson of Matins for the second Sunday after Epiphany, which begins beside the initial on the original recto of the leaf and continues on the verso, Domine ne in ira tua arguas me neque in furore tuo corripias me. Miserere michi domine quo[niam]

 

MS 197: the miniature and initial, which would have been on the original verso of the leaf, introduced the responsory for the first lesson of Matins for Septuagesima Sunday, which begins beneath the image, In principio fecit Deus celum et ter[ram]. The reverse (the original recto of the leaf), contains the end of the antiphon, Psalm 68, versicle and responsory of the first nocturn of Matins for Septuagesima Sunday, [Tu Domine servabis nos et cus]todies nos, followed by Ps[almus] Salvum me fac d[eus]. V[ersiculus] Memor fui nocte nominis tui d[omine]. R[esponsorium] Et custodivi legem tuam.

 

MS 198: the initial, which would have been on the original verso of the leaf, opened Psalm 109, and the page contains the first two verses of the Psalm, Dixit dominus domino meo…virgam virtutis tuae emittet dominus. The reverse (the original recto of the leaf) preserves two musical staves and two lines of text containing the antiphon for the first psalm of the first nocturn of Vespers for a Sunday in the Easter season, Aleluia. Euoue Dixit dominus [Domino meo sede a dextris meis] Euoue.

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Detail of the figure on the left under magnification (7.5x). The dark shadows which appear in the infrared image (right) around the figure’s eyes and jaws, and along his nose and mouth, correspond to areas painted with green earth.
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Detail of the figure on the right under magnification (16x).
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Detail of the bronze-coloured head under magnification (7.5x). The expressive face is rendered with numerous strokes of organic red and lead white over the shiny mosaic gold base layer.

This leaf came from a Choir Psalter made for the Hospital of Santa Maria della Scala in Siena c. 1460-1477. The initial D opened Psalm 109 and illustrates its first verse, ‘The Lord said to my Lord: sit thou at my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool.’ The image of David trampling on an enemy in full armour was painted by Sano di Pietro.