Leaf from a Twelfth-Century Italian Antiphonal
An Initial “L” in the form of a Bird
Written in Latin, a page from an Antiphonal, for Matins, the first Responsory for the Feast of Lucy, Lucia virgo quid a me petit
Italy, perhaps Tuscany, 12th century
Overall dimensions: 326 x 235 mm
Initial dimensions: 60 x 58 mm.
Tempera and ink on parchment
$9,500
This 12th century Italian antiphonal leaf is a rare survivor from a liturgical manuscript containing choral music for the Divine Office. This significant fragment of 12th century Italian liturgical chant offers valuable insights into Romanesque illumination, medieval chant transmission, and the veneration of Saint Lucy in Italy. With its exceptional script, musical notation, and historical significance, this leaf stands as a testament to medieval artistic and devotional traditions.
Written in a rounded Carolingian hand, it features neumatic notation on a single red stave reflecting a transitional stage in medieval musical notation. The rubrics and headings in red uncials enhance its clarity and function within the liturgy. The leaf is ruled in blind for 60 lines with text appearing on every fifth line and musical notation filling the intermediary spaces. One line has been reruled in red. This meticulous layout ensured precise alignment of text and chant, which was a fundamental requirement in medieval liturgical manuscripts.
A striking historiated initial “L” forms the visual centerpiece, featuring a long-necked bird with red wings, a red beak, and a yellow tail, set against a red and blue paneled ground. This whimsical zoomorphic initial is characteristic of Italian Romanesque illumination, reflecting both playful inventiveness and the strong ornamental traditions of medieval scriptoria.
This leaf preserves chants for the Feast of Saint Lucy (Santa Lucia) celebrated on December 13th, honoring one of the most revered early Christian martyrs. Venerated across Italy and Europe, Lucy’s feast was firmly established in the liturgical calendar by the 12th century. The inclusion of her Proper Office in this manuscript suggests a particular regional significance, likely within Tuscany or central Italy. The featured chant, Lucia virgo quid a me petis, is a responsory from the Office of Matins, traditionally sung during the Vigil or Night Office before dawn. Set in Mode 7, its melody conveys both solemnity and joy, fitting for the commemoration of Saint Lucy’s martyrdom and intercessory role. The presence of this chant confirms the manuscript’s monastic or ecclesiastical use, where Lucy’s virtues were honored through devotional music and prayer.
PROVENANCE:
Italy, likely Tuscany, 12th century
Sotheby’s, London, 25 April 1983, lot 11 (two other leaves from this dispersed manuscript were sold Sotheby’s, London, 19 June 1979, lot 1)
Private Collection, USA
LITERATURE:
See, Cantus: Database for Latin Ecclesiastical Chant, a database for Latin chants found in manuscripts and early printed books in medieval Europe, www.cantusdatabase.org
