Featured Illuminated manuscript page, 1470

Discussion in 'Antique Discussion' started by bluumz, Sep 9, 2024.

  1. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    I actually picked this up on my local Facebook marketplace today! The seller said it belonged to her aunt who was "a collector". Anyone here able to translate medieval French? (EDIT: Latin?) I thought it would look pretty on the wall of my book room. It's quite small, measuring 130mm x 95mm. For what I paid, I won't be disappointed if it's some sort of reproduction. It is taped to mat board.
    Any thoughts?

    IMG_2749.jpeg IMG_2750.jpeg IMG_2751.jpeg
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2024
  2. Bronwen

    Bronwen Well-Known Member

    It looks like Latin to me.
     
  3. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    Yes, it is Latin. The blue S at the bottom of the page is the beginning of chapter 17 from the Book of Job: "Spiritus adtenuabitur dies mei breviabuntur". The chapter continues on the back of the page. The text before the blue S does not correspond to chapter 16 of Job, however. It might be some sort of commentary. But my Latin and paleography are not good enough to make sense of it.

    This stuff is difficult to read both because of the script and the fact that the scribes used all kinds of abbreviations. But I was able to pick out one phrase on the back of the page - "post tenebras spero lucem" (after darkness I hope for light) - googled that, and it just happens to be a well known phrase from the Vulgate (Latin) version of the Bible.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post_tenebras_lux

    You can find the Vulgate text of Job (the whole Bible, actually), with translation, here-
    https://vulgate.org/ot/job_17.htm
     
  4. evelyb30

    evelyb30 Well-Known Member

    It's just too bad someone broke the book up and sold the pages. It may have been damaged; I almost hope it was, and this was someone's way of saving the pieces.
     
  5. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    Latin... well, shows you what I know, LOL. Actually, I hadn't even tried to read it, I'd just assumed French due to "Le Mans". :rolleyes: Thanks for the info! As it happens, my best friend's ex is a Latin teacher so maybe he can help.
    Yes, it is a shame that the book was broken up but what's done is done.
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2024
  6. Ex Libris

    Ex Libris Well-Known Member

    Last edited: Sep 10, 2024
    mirana, Figtree3, kentworld and 10 others like this.
  7. bluumz

    bluumz Quite Busy

    Thank you so much!
    I have heard of Books of Hours but will have to do a deeper dive. Any reason not to believe the labelling of Le Mans 1470? What might the 44-2-100 be? (Inventory number?) It seems the page once had a selling price of $15. I suppose I should leave the writing along the bottom?

    Any advice how to remove the tape?
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2024
    Figtree3 and Bronwen like this.
  8. Brian Warshaw

    Brian Warshaw Well-Known Member

    Talk to a conservator, see what can be done with it, and how to display it, or not. And, of course, the cost. A nice piece paper(?) not to preserve it.
     
  9. Ex Libris

    Ex Libris Well-Known Member

    15th Century France seems completely logic to me. The 44-2-100 could be a inventory number for a collector or dealer.

    Parchment is quite resistant against water, but the inks on the page are probably not. I would try to moisten the tape itself to see if the glue comes loose.
     
  10. 2manybooks

    2manybooks Well-Known Member

    If you want to frame it, you might not need to change the mount. I don't see any evidence that the "hinge" tape has done any damage since it was mounted. It looks like an older type of linen tape that usually ages well. Take a look at the edges of the mat board that it is mounted on. If it is white all the way through, it is probably of good quality. If the interior is brown, indicating it has become acidic, then it might be worth redoing. But parchment is a pretty resilient material, and not as sensitive to acid as paper is.

    If you try to use moisture to remove the tape, there is a risk of the parchment cockling.
     
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2024
    kyratango, mirana, Figtree3 and 3 others like this.
  11. Northern Lights Lodge

    Northern Lights Lodge Well-Known Member

    What a cool find!!
     
    bluumz likes this.
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