Walters Ms. W.757, Leaf of a missal with the Crucifixion and Canon of the Mass

W.757

Leaf of a missal with the Crucifixion and Canon of the Mass

This leaf once belonged to a small missal, and was created in the late eleventh or early twelfth century. The distinct style of its miniature suggests it was made in Southern Germany, or possibly in the Tyrol region of Austria, where line drawing in colored inks had developed into a regional style. The recto depicts the Crucifixion, and the later redrawing of Christ, especially apparent in his face and feet, suggests it had been worn down through pious touch. On the verso is found the opening text for the Canon of the Mass, introduced by a historiated initial "T" containing a standing man wearing a short skirt. That the manuscript was well-used is attested to both by the heavy wear to the parchment, and by the two original manuscript tabs that were created as page markers for this important text and image.

Late 11th or early 12th century CE

South Germany (or Austrian Tyrol?)

Leaf

Liturgical

The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.

Parchment

Well-finished but worn medium weight parchment; original knotted vellum tabs remain on side and bottom of page

Foliation: Not applicable

14.5 cm wide by 22.3 cm high

10.0 cm wide by 17.0 cm high

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 28

1. Title: Missal fragment
2. Contents: Verso has the beginning of the Canon of the Mass, incipit "Te igitur...;" contemporary marginal addition reads "Clemens alexandrinus;" later fourteenth-century marginal addition begins "et antistite nostro..."
3. Hand note: Pregothic bookhand with opening three lines in majuscule script; later marginal note in Gothic script
4. Decoration note: One full-page miniature, pen drawn in red and brown ink, with accent colors of green, pink, and yellow; one historiated initial (9 lines) drawn in brown ink; some verse capitals in red; rubric and text in black ink

fol. W.757r:

1. 
2. Title: Crucifixion
3. Form: Full-page miniature

fol. W.757v:

1. 
2. Title: Initial "T" (Te igitur) supported by a skirt-clad man
3. Form: Historiated initial "T," 9 lines
4. Text: Canon of the Mass

Originally part of a missal, southern Germany or Austrian Tyrol, late eleventh or early twelfth century

Robert E. Hecht collection, Baltimore, MD, before 1955

Purchased from Robert E. Hecht, December 1955

Museum purchase

Miner, Dorothy. "Since de Ricci - Western Illuminated Manuscripts Acquired since 1934: A Report in Two Parts: Part 1." Journal of the Walters Art Gallery 29-30 (1966):68-103, pp. 86-87, figs. 12-13.

Faye, C. U. and W. H. Bond. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. New York, 1962, p. 199, no. 573.

"Bulletin Codicologique." Scriptorium 26 (1972): 130-246, p. 208, no. 402.

Catalogers: Dutschke, Consuelo; Herbert, Lynley; Sciacca, Christine; Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Davis, Lisa Fagin; Emery, Doug; Hamburger, Jeffrey; Klemm, Elizabeth; Noel, William; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.; Valle, Chiara

The Walters Art Museum

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