Leaf from an Antiphonary: Historiated Initial P with the Prophet Samuel; Arms of the Visconti Family and the Olivetan Order
c. 1439–47
Medium
ink, tempera and gold on vellum
Dimensions
59.3 × 42.7 cm
Classification
Manuscript
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection
Accession Number
1999.131
Tags
About this artwork
This leaf is distinguished by a large initial P depicting Samuel, the last and one of the greatest of Israel’s judges. It introduces the text Preparte corda vestra domino et servite (“Prepare your hearts for the Lord and serve”). In the lower margin are the arms of the Visconti family, rulers of Milan, featuring an eagle (left) and a coiled serpent (right). At bottom center is the emblem of the Olivetan Order, a reformed branch of the Benedictines founded in 1319 known as the “white monks.” The ...
About the Artist
Olivetan Master (Italian)
The designation "Italian" in art collections typically refers to an anonymous artist or a loose attribution to works from Italian schools, rather than a specific individual. With 173 known artworks in the museum's collection, this entry likely encompasses paintings by unidentified masters active across various periods, such as the Renaissance, Baroque, or later eras. Early life and personal detail...