Breviary or book of hours [leaf]

"12mo (in all appr. 14 x 18.5 cm, 5.5 x 7.25"). [2] ff. Written in a beautiful clear Italian humanistic hand, this double leaf is probably from a breviary or book of hours. It begins with part of the responsory following the sixth lesson in the office for the dead, and continues with the antiphon incipit, "Complaceat tibi," and the beginning of Psalm 39 (40), as the seventh psalm in that office (opening the third nocturn). The second leaf in this bifolium continues with Psalm 41:2, Psalm 41 being the ninth psalm at matins of the dead (i.e., the third psalm of the third nocturn). While humanistic hand—a distinctive element of the Renaissance style—is more usually associated with classical manuscripts, it was, as this leaf exemplifies, also used for liturgical and devotional texts.nnThe recto of the first leaf has 1 two-line initial E in gold on a reddish purple background with blue inside the strokes of the E, both the blue and the pink having white tracery within. This leaf also contains a total of 14 decorative one-line initials, 6 gold and 8 blue, the latter with fine red tracery. The few short rubrics are in a brownish red. The text, 15 lines to the page, is lightly ruled in blind with a stylus; the top line of text is above the first line of ruling. The stylus was drawn across the hair side of the parchment, and the top lines of ruling run through the gutter.nnIn a simple white mat with both sides of both leaves visible. Vellum a lovely creamy white on the flesh side (the verso of the first and the recto of the second leaf); the hair side is darker, especially in the top margin. Remnants of binding thread remain in the lower part of the gutter.",Full pdf available, https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A439309/datastream/PDF/view