Accession number
MS M.1242
Object title
Cutting from a Gradual: historiated initial C for the Introit for the Feast of Corpus Christi by Giovanni Pietro da Birago.
Created
Italy, Brescia, ca. 1469-1474
Credit line
Gift of William M. Voelkle in honor of Jonathan J. G. Alexander on the occasion of the Morgan's Centennial, 2023.
Description
1 item : vellum, illuminated ; 170 x 155 mm
Provenance
Italy, Brescia, made for the Cathedral of Santa Maria (Duomo Vecchio); 1921, deposited in the Pinacoteca Tosio Martinego, Brescia; Lucien Goldschmidt (1116 Madison Avenue, New York), as possibly Vincenzo Foppa, a Brescian artist; private collector; Hill-Stone, Inc. (as Ferrarese); acquired from Hill-Stone 15 May 1991 by William M. Voelkle.
Notes
Historiated initial C (of "Cibavit") depicting a Corpus Christi Procession.
Trimmed initial mounted on new vellum (280 x 200 mm).
Artist: Giovanni Pietro da Birago.
First attributed to Birago by Giordana Mariani Canova in 1992. This cutting and its sisters were published by Alexander in 2004. From a Gradual, part of a set of Choir Books made for the Cathedral of Santa Maria (Duomo Vecchio) of Brescia, ca. 1469-1474.
All 18 of the surviving volumes of this Choir Book set are now in Brescia's Pinacoteca Tosio Martinego; this leaf was cut from MS Cor. 10D (28), fol. 240r. There are four known sisters: Initial T depicting the Martyrdom of Sts. Faustina and Jovita., Boston Public Library (MS pb Med.150); Initial I depicting St. John Preaching (Introit for Feast St. John the Evangelist, 27 December), Lonato, Fondazione Ugo da Como; Initial S depicting the Purification, Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Object ID 33-1363, (was fol. 70r of MS Cor. 10D (28); Initial C depicting the Trinity (Throne of Mercy), likely cut from an antiphonal, formerly Paris, Les Enluminures, Paris; sold after 2004, currently private collection. Alexander, 2004, cites three addition fragments that may have come from the same set of Choir Books.
Trimmed initial mounted on new vellum (280 x 200 mm).
Artist: Giovanni Pietro da Birago.
First attributed to Birago by Giordana Mariani Canova in 1992. This cutting and its sisters were published by Alexander in 2004. From a Gradual, part of a set of Choir Books made for the Cathedral of Santa Maria (Duomo Vecchio) of Brescia, ca. 1469-1474.
All 18 of the surviving volumes of this Choir Book set are now in Brescia's Pinacoteca Tosio Martinego; this leaf was cut from MS Cor. 10D (28), fol. 240r. There are four known sisters: Initial T depicting the Martyrdom of Sts. Faustina and Jovita., Boston Public Library (MS pb Med.150); Initial I depicting St. John Preaching (Introit for Feast St. John the Evangelist, 27 December), Lonato, Fondazione Ugo da Como; Initial S depicting the Purification, Kansas City, Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Object ID 33-1363, (was fol. 70r of MS Cor. 10D (28); Initial C depicting the Trinity (Throne of Mercy), likely cut from an antiphonal, formerly Paris, Les Enluminures, Paris; sold after 2004, currently private collection. Alexander, 2004, cites three addition fragments that may have come from the same set of Choir Books.
Script
Gothic rotunda
Language
Latin
Century
Catalog link
Classification
Department