2461 - Illuminated Manuscript (Antiphon)

Illuminated Manuscript (Antiphon) 14th/15th century. Hand-inscribed and richly decorated parchment, presumably from a late medieval antiphonary, featuring a miniature illustration. 40.5 x 28.5 cm (mat cutout), 55 x 42 cm (dimensions with frame). Mat. Double-glazed frame. Partially retouched for browning; signs of creasing and fiber tears. Slight scratches; some paint flaking. Presumed owner’s inscription in ink on the recto. A single-column text passage in Latin from a Gregorian chant, written in typical square notation on four red staves, written on both the recto and verso, with ornate initials in red and blue, as well as foliage scrolls and gold painting surrounding the miniature. The illustration shows a figure in profile wearing a red robe and a golden halo, raising her hands in prayer and looking up at a crown. This could be Saint Cecilia.