Manuscript Leaf with the Nativity in an Initial H, from an Antiphonary
second half 15th century
Medium
Tempera, ink, and gold on parchment
Dimensions
Overall: 21 7/8 x 15 7/8 in. (55.5 x 40.3 cm) letter: 5 3/8 x 6 1/16 in. (13.6 x 15.4 cm) Mat size: 30 1/2 x 23 1/16 in. (77.5 x 58.5 cm)
Classification
Manuscripts and Illuminations
Culture
Italian
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Louis L. Lorillard, 1896, transferred from the Library
Accession Number
96.32.5
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite manuscript leaf, created by the Master of thecardiana Lactantius the second half of the15th century, hails from an antiphonary—a liturgical book used in Italian churches for chanting antiphons during services. Nestled within a grand initial "H" is a vivid Nativity scene, depicting the Virgin Mary tenderly cradling the infant Jesus, surrounded by the humble ox and donkey in a stable. Such illuminations brought scripture to life for worshippers, many of whom were illiterate, blending devotion with artistry in the transition from Gothic to early Renaissance styles. Crafted with te...
About the Artist
Master of the Riccardiana Lactantius
The Master of the Riccardiana Lactantius is an anonymous Florentine illuminator active in the second half of the fifteenth century, named for his distinctive decoration of folios in Biblioteca Riccardiana MS 544, a manuscript containing works by the early Christian author Lactantius. Little is known of his early life or training, which remains sparsely documented, though like many illuminators of ...