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The following two lots are from an enormous Spanish Antiphonal likely produced in Toledo towards the end of the 15th century. The hand responsible for the miniature depicting the Sermon on the Mount is by a more refined artist, but the figures in both leaves, with their hooded eyelids and the stylised landscapes finds strong parallels in a Book of Hours illuminated by Juan de Carrión of Toledo (London, British Library Add MS 50004 and Berlin, Kuperstichkabinett, Ms. 78 A 26), an artist who was responsible for the decoration of six choir books at Avila, bearing the arms of Alfonso Carrilo, Bishop of Avila (1498-1514), and who was evidently familiar with the Flemish landscapes of artists in the circle of Willem Vrelant of Bruges, a testament to the increasing cross-cultural influence of Flanders on Spanish manuscript production in the second half of the 15th century. Particularly unusual are the initial staves, composed of deep blue clusters of clam-shaped acanthus with bright red interiors, one side encircled by three red strips: identical staves (though the blue is faded) can be seen in a leaf with the Ascension attributable to the circle of Juan de Carrión sold at Christie's, 9 December 2020, lot 5 (indeed the dimensions, number of lines and script suggest it may even have come from the same volume or set of volumes); and a leaf with King David from a Ferial Psalter commissioned by Francisco Fernández de la Cueva, 2nd Duke of Albuquerque upon his marriage in 1485 to Dona Francisca Alvarez de Toledo, daughter of García Alvarez de Toledo, 1st Duke of Alba, sold at Christie's, 21 November 2012, lot 21.

Circle of Juan de Carrión of Toledo

Salome and John the Baptist, historiated initial on a vast leaf from an Antiphonal [Spain, Toledo, c.1480s]

Details

Circle of Juan de Carrión of Toledo
Salome and John the Baptist, historiated initial on a vast leaf from an Antiphonal [Spain, Toledo, c.1480s]
c.760 x 500mm. Historiated initial 'Q' with Salome offering the Baptist's head on a platter to Herod opening 'Qui me confessus fuerit' for the Feast of One Martyr, 5 lines of text and music on a red stave within a three-sided border, the lower margin with five putti in grisaille, early foliation '39' in Roman numerals (upper margin trimmed, browned, dampstained and cockled at bottom margin, loss of pigment to the faces of the figures in the initial). Mounted. Provenance: John Fleming, bookdealer and collector, 17 May 1979.

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Please note this item is not under the Temporary Admission as stated in the catalogue. Also note this lot is zero rated for VAT purposes and has no VAT on the hammer price or buyer's premium. The collection of this lot may be delayed while a retrospective amendment from HMRC is being completed.
Please also note the estimate for this lot is £2,000 - £3,000 and not as stated in the catalogue.

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