Oxford Illuminator

St. Paul

Written in Latin, a leaf from a Vulgate Bible, the Prologue to Corinthians, and Corinthians 1:10, Paulus apostolus non ab hominibus neque per hominem sed per Iesum Christum

England, Oxford, circa 1250-1275

Overall dimensions, 186 x 130 mm.

Tempera, gold and ink on parchment

$7,500

This beautifully illuminated Bible leaf, produced in Oxford in the third quarter of the 13th century, is a striking example of Gothic manuscript illumination at a time when Oxford scriptoria were producing highly refined pocket-sized Bibles for scholars, clergy, and monastic readers. The leaf exemplifies the artistic excellence of Oxford’s bookmaking tradition, combining sophisticated illumination, playful marginalia, and a refined script into a manuscript that was both functional and richly decorated. It contains Romans 14:6 to the end, the Prologue to Corinthians, and Corinthians 1:10, marking an important passage in the Pauline Epistles, a cornerstone of Christian theology.

The page is illuminated with an exceptional historiated initial “P”, introducing the Prologue to Corinthians. Within the initial, St. Paul is depicted holding a book and a sword, the two attributes most commonly associated with him. The book represents his theological writings, while the sword references both his martyrdom and his unwavering defense of Christian doctrine. The illumination is executed in a rich palette of deep blue, red, and gold, with delicate white highlights and intricate detailing, characteristic of Oxford book illumination during this period. The gold-leaf background, contrasting with the luminous blue of Paul’s robes, reflects the high quality of the manuscript’s production.

The facial features of St. Paul—arched eyebrows, round expressive eyes, and strong contouring—are reminiscent of the Oxford illumination tradition, aligning closely with the style of William de Brailes, one of England’s most significant 13th-century illuminators. De Brailes, active in Oxford, was known for his expressive figures, rich use of color, and fluid drapery, all of which are evident in this illumination. The composition of the initial and its elongated vertical extension are hallmarks of the Oxford style, which blended Parisian influences with distinctive English elements to create some of the most refined Bibles of the period.

Beneath the initial, an intriguing marginal figure clings to the descending shaft of the letter, gazing upward toward St. Paul. This small crouching figure, dressed in blue hose and a pointed cap, may represent a fool or peasant, a common theme in medieval marginalia, particularly in English Gothic manuscripts. In medieval thought, fools were often depicted as figures of worldly ignorance, moral weakness, or comic relief, juxtaposed against the divine wisdom of saints and biblical figures. The placement of the fool directly beneath St. Paul suggests a deliberate contrast between human folly and divine truth, reinforcing the theological message of the text.

PROVENANCE:

1. The parent volume was probably produced in Oxford: the style of illumination is English, and Oxford seems to have been the main center for the production of such Bibles; the numbering of the columns with 13th-century Arabic numerals also suggests use in an academic environment.

2. Owned in the 14th century by an unidentified English Carthusian house: the parent volume had a note referring to use in the refectory, and notes indicating liturgical readings, including the letters ‘p’, ‘s’, and ‘t’ (for primus, secundus, tertius); the present leaf has ‘t’ next to Romans 14:21; 'p' next to 15:17; 's' next to 16:10; and 't' next to 16:20. There were only eight Carthusian houses in England before the 15th century, six of them founded between 1343 and 1398.

3. 16th-century names and ownership notes: Willam George, Robert Ayer and Henry Consteny.

4. Charles Manning, late 18th or early 19th-century.

5. Charles Kirkpatrick Sharpe (1781–1851), who resided in Edinburgh known as an eccentric literary recluse and friend of Sir Walter Scott.

6. Sir John Jaffray (1818–1901), Scottish journalist and newspaper proprietor.

7. Sotheby’s, 14 October 1946, lot 147; bought by A.G. Thomas.

8. A.G. Thomas (1911–1992), English bookseller; kept for more than 25 years as part of his personal collection; reproduced in his Fine Books, 1967, fig. 20; and included in the posthumous sale of his library at Sotheby’s, 22 June 1993, lot 6 (‘the book is certainly English and may be Oxford work’), bought by Fogg; broken up probably by Bruce Ferrini, with his erased pencil stock number.

9. Maggs, European Bulletin, 21 (1997) and subsequently Catalogue 1262 (1998).

10. USA, private collection

LITERATURE:

P. Kidd, The McCarthy Collection, II (2019), no 11; citing the present leaf as Maryland, private collection.