farfel_n03_180_221

221
Sept. '85
Rossignol Paris
450F = $45
Vernacular work?, 15th C, Northern France. (c 1480) medieval
Vellum, Gothic hand, 30 lines in "vieux francais."
The capitals + line fillings are painted in blue + rose
with white lining + illuminated gold. Small decoration
on inner margin on verso, consists of tendrils with foliage
in gold and 2 flowers in red + blue. 5 3/8 x 8 1/8".

French liturgical manuscripts in the vernacular are extremely rare
8 mostly belong to the high renaissance. Often they were
made for women. Translations into Dutch + even English
are comparatively common. Sometimes the Calendars of
Books of Hours are in French + various well known
prayers, but evidently the Office of the Virgin itself,
like the Canon of the Mass, was generally considered too
holy for the common language.
-Sept Rquetes
-Quinze Joyes