Missal [bifolium]

"A VELLUM MANUSCRIPT BIFOLIUM, WITH ILLUMINATING REMNANTS OF AN HISTORIATED INITIAL, FROM A LARGE MISSAL IN LATIN. (Germany, 15th century) Slightly irregular, but approximately 14 x 20." Rubrics in red, capitals struck with red, seven small and 11 large initials in red, and the remnants of a large (54 x 52 mm.) historiated initial of St. Peter (see discussion, below). Recovered from a binding, so with a few small holes, slight wrinkling, and overall browning, that part of the text written in brown ink on the inner two pages indistinct (about half of it legible), but the text of the outer pages quite readable (and all of the red paint well preserved), inner pages rather spotted, but still an appealing item as a revealing specimen despite its defects.nnMoisture from the glue used in binding has faded or effaced much of the text on the inner pages here, and it appears to have taken away all but a tiny vestige of (red) paint used for the initial. But this loss provides us with a significant gain because it enables us to see the illuminator's technique in an especially memorable way. The areas within the initial's rectangle that would have been gold are clearly indicated by a terra cotta color that marks the presence of gesso, a thick substance usually composed of plaster, chalk, or gypsum bound together with a glue, the mixture used as a ground for gilding because it formed a raised adherent surface ideal for burnishing (the raised surfaces are pronounced on the present leaf). The same terra cotta color is seen in several small disks at the top and along the left margin, which were no doubt the ground for gold bezants, probably as part of an elaborate scrolling decorative painted border (there are significant remnants of gold adhering to the gesso in the initial, but not in the border decoration). At least as important, the disappearance of the paint from the initial has exposed the careful and rather elaborate underdrawing in brown ink for the figure of St. Peter. The recto of the leaf on the left side concludes the sanctoral cycle of the ecclesiastical year with Mass propers for the feasts of Chrysogonus (24 November) and Catherine of Alexandria (25 November). A rubric at the bottom of the second column announces the incipit of the common of saints, beginning with the Mass for the vigil of the feast of an apostle, the text of which follows on the verso beneath the initial depicting St. Peter. What can be identified on the conjugate leaf is the common for the feast day of a confessor bishop.",Full pdf available, https://dl.mospace.umsystem.edu/mu/islandora/object/mu%3A439433/datastream/PDF/view