PBA Galleries

Single illuminated manuscript leaf on vellum. In two columns (text block is 101x70mm), with 52 lines each, in a compressed script in dark brown ink, a few shoulder notes. With two polychrome nine-line historiated initials, one depicting Jonah and the Whale, the other Obadiah. Headlines, verse numbers, and verse opening initials in red and blue, the initials with contrasting penwork extending between columns and into lower margin; red paragraph marks, capital strokes, explicits and incipits. Leaf size is 147x105mm (5¾x4¼").

Exceptional leaf from the so-called Leber workshop, which produced Bibles for the Royal family in early to mid 13th-century Paris. The verso initial "E" depicts Jonah in the whale's mouth in the lower half of the letter and a castle tower in the top half. This is a pink letter on blue ground, the images in blue, red and white, all with white tracery. Jonah is finely drawn with great expression, his hands clasped and outstretched in supplication. On the recto is the prophet Obadiah in letter "U", which has a ¾" polychrome border extension. Obadiah depicted with his scroll in red, pink, and white on a blue ground. From a private collection acquired through Zeitlin & Ver Brugge. A very well-executed leaf with the wonderful image of Jonah in the whale.