DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.22421#0187
Letter V.
NETHERLANDISH MSS.
123
and form of nose of the 11th century, with bare feet, in a blue
tunic and yellow mantle. The angles are partially filled up with
silver, which has turned black.
A Psalter (Biblia Regia, 2, b 11), folio, 182 leaves, with a
beautiful full minuscule letter, in one column. The many Nether-
landish saints which occur in the six leaves of the calendar
sufficiently prove the origin of this work. The small representa-
tions of the monthly occupations of the season are very lively and
dramatic. Treatment and colouring are the same which prevailed
from 1200 to 1250. The heads, however, though resembling the
type of that period, only more beautiful, are executed in the later
manner with the pen. As my observations, meanwhile, have con-
vinced me that this manner was first developed in the Netherlands,
in one instance as early as 1240, I am inclined to assign this
MS. to a period not later than 1260, a supposition which the
character of the writing in no way contradicts. P. 7 a, a large B :
above, David playing the psalter ; below, Goliah falling. P. 29 b,
Samuel anointing David. P. 44 b, the penitent David before the
Almighty, who is represented in the Mosaic type of Christ.
P. 71, the letter S, heading the psalm " Salvum fac," &c, while,
in reference to the meaning of the psalm, David is represented in
a flood, in danger of his life ; the Almighty above in the act of
benediction. P. 88 b, David playing on the bells. In all these
pictures David is represented as youthful; the ground is either
gold, or panelled in a very delicate way.
Office of the Virgin and other prayers (Harleian, No. 2897),
small folio, 453 leaves, with a beautiful full minuscule letter, in two
columns, upon very fine parchment; executed for a Duke of Bur-
gundy, who, to judge from the writing and from the painting, may
be assumed to have been Philip the Bold, who reigned from
1384 to 1404, and was known as a lover of decorated MSS. The
golden leaves and panelled grounds of the borders, which modes
of ornament were the prevailing taste of the 14th century, show
that this work belonged to about the year 1400. Although some
of the miniatures are attributable to French hands, yet those by
Netherlandish artists far exceed them in number and artistic merit.
In the first part of the MS. are several elegant little pictures relating
to David ; for example, p. 28 b, the penitent David ; p. 42 b, David
again, heading the psalm " Dixit insipiens ;" p. 72 b, heading the
NETHERLANDISH MSS.
123
and form of nose of the 11th century, with bare feet, in a blue
tunic and yellow mantle. The angles are partially filled up with
silver, which has turned black.
A Psalter (Biblia Regia, 2, b 11), folio, 182 leaves, with a
beautiful full minuscule letter, in one column. The many Nether-
landish saints which occur in the six leaves of the calendar
sufficiently prove the origin of this work. The small representa-
tions of the monthly occupations of the season are very lively and
dramatic. Treatment and colouring are the same which prevailed
from 1200 to 1250. The heads, however, though resembling the
type of that period, only more beautiful, are executed in the later
manner with the pen. As my observations, meanwhile, have con-
vinced me that this manner was first developed in the Netherlands,
in one instance as early as 1240, I am inclined to assign this
MS. to a period not later than 1260, a supposition which the
character of the writing in no way contradicts. P. 7 a, a large B :
above, David playing the psalter ; below, Goliah falling. P. 29 b,
Samuel anointing David. P. 44 b, the penitent David before the
Almighty, who is represented in the Mosaic type of Christ.
P. 71, the letter S, heading the psalm " Salvum fac," &c, while,
in reference to the meaning of the psalm, David is represented in
a flood, in danger of his life ; the Almighty above in the act of
benediction. P. 88 b, David playing on the bells. In all these
pictures David is represented as youthful; the ground is either
gold, or panelled in a very delicate way.
Office of the Virgin and other prayers (Harleian, No. 2897),
small folio, 453 leaves, with a beautiful full minuscule letter, in two
columns, upon very fine parchment; executed for a Duke of Bur-
gundy, who, to judge from the writing and from the painting, may
be assumed to have been Philip the Bold, who reigned from
1384 to 1404, and was known as a lover of decorated MSS. The
golden leaves and panelled grounds of the borders, which modes
of ornament were the prevailing taste of the 14th century, show
that this work belonged to about the year 1400. Although some
of the miniatures are attributable to French hands, yet those by
Netherlandish artists far exceed them in number and artistic merit.
In the first part of the MS. are several elegant little pictures relating
to David ; for example, p. 28 b, the penitent David ; p. 42 b, David
again, heading the psalm " Dixit insipiens ;" p. 72 b, heading the