Illuminated Initial - Crucifixion Of Christ - 16th Century

Beautiful illuminated initial cut from a liturgical manuscript, probably a choir antiphonary, depicting the Crucifixion of Christ. In the center of the composition, Christ is nailed to the cross, beneath the inscription INRI; at his feet, the Virgin in a blue cloak stands in prayer on the left, while Saint John the Evangelist, dressed in red, stands on the right. The whole is inscribed in a richly colored oval medallion, surrounded by a gilded background and blue and red decorative motifs characteristic of late Gothic illumination. This illumination was painted in tempera on parchment, using a technique inherited from the great medieval tradition. It probably comes from a monumental choir book intended for a convent or a church, used during collective services: the decorated letters marked the beginning of the main sung prayers, visible from afar by the entire community. The Crucifixion, a central theme of Christian piety, is represented here in a style that is both expressive and still marked by Gothic aesthetics, but already open to Renaissance influences. This work illustrates the wealth and fervor of the illuminating workshops active in France and the former Burgundian Netherlands at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, a time when liturgical manuscripts and polyphony were experiencing considerable growth before the spread of printing. Note: 18th century frame