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Initial "P" (Petrus Apostolus)
(Manuscripts and Rare Books, Medieval Europe )
The undulating bodies of two winged dragons with foliate tails form this letter "P." A profile, bearded, and mustached human face at the very end of the letters tail disgorges a fleshy stalk crowned with large profile leaves, from which emerge two further profile faces. These faces, clean-shaven and connected at the ears, open their mouths in order to eat small flowers or plants that grow from the tops of the leaves--as if devouring the very source of their existence.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Priory scriptorium of Rochester Cathedral, England, 12th century [possible reference in catalog in Textus Roffensis, Rochester Cathedral Library Ms. A.3.5, fol. 230r; more certain reference in 1202 library catalog in British Library Ms. Royal 5 B.XII, fol. 2r]; Leon Gruel, Paris, before 1931 [mode of acquisition unknown, no. 1138]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, before 1931, by purchase; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Geographies
United Kingdom, England, Rochester, Rochester Priory (Place of Origin)
Measurements
H: 15 3/16 x W: 11 1/8 in. (38.5 x 28.3 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.18.146R
