Presentation in the Temple, cutting of an Antiphonary leaf in a historiated inital A, illuminated by the Master of the Antiphonaries of the cathedral of Pavia (Giustino del fu Gherardino da Forlì?).
Italy, Veneto, c. 1360
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On the reverse two staves in red ink (one not complete) and musical notation as well as text in littera textualis in dark brown ink. Some later owners’ notes in pencil and pen (not all legible: Album, 10269, V86/9(?), 6918 /?).
Under a large, light blue initial N, a slender building in old rose is positioned. In front of the canopy-like temple stands an altar with Mary on its left and the priest Symeon on its right. The Christ Child is dressed in an ankle-long bright red tunic. The priest has covered his hands with a white cloth as he gives the child back to his awaiting mother. The interaction between the figures is lively and convincing: the child raises its hands and appears to be wriggling as it is taken from the priest’s arms by the mother. With his garb and full-flowing beard and hair, the priest is an imposing figure. Symeon's face is long with chiselled features; the illuminator has emphasised and traced single wrinkles with white lines.
While the letter, its background, and the temple are painted in pastel hues, the clothing of the protagonists is given in strong, distinct colours: blue for the Virgin’s cloak, red for the child’s tunic, and white and blue for the priest’s garments. The style of our miniature corresponds clearly with a historiated initial M published by Gaudenz Freuler in 2013. Freuler states, that the best examples of this style seem to be a blend of almost archaizing elements drawn from the prolific illuminators in the milieu of San Domenico in Bologna combined with the elegance of more progressive Venetian panel painters like Lorenzo Veneziano. This fascinating observation leads to the hypothesis that our artist might have been travelling to do his work, and actually, that same style can be found in a set of Antiphonaries in the Cathedral of Pavia. In fact, our miniature could stem from that source, a notion which will need further verification.
With this miniature, the Master of the Pavia Antiphonaries has created a lively and multi-layered work of art, which combines architectural elegance with an engaging fundamental human element.
