Two Leaves from an Antiphonary

Originally part of an Antiphonary created in Germany in the early fourteenth century, these two nonconsecutive folios were saved for their large and ornate historiated initials. Stylistically, the images are close to the "Legendarium" of the Abbey of Heiligen Kreuz in Regensburg, and these leaves have therefore been attributed to that region as well. Other folios from this same manuscript survive in several collections: New York, Pierpont Morgan Library, Ms. M.870 (1-3), the Los Angeles County Museum (no manuscript information on file), Stockholm, National Museum (Erickson Foundation, Med. 1-4), and in the collection of Philippe Verdier in Montreal. One of the New York leaves has the name "Gerwich" inscribed beneath a historiated initial, and this has been understood by scholars to be the name of the artist. As all of the surviving initials are by the same hand, the Walters initials may be attributed to Gerwich as well.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Dominican Convent of the Holy Cross, Regensburg, before 1876 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1955, by purchase.