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[BIBLE: EXODUS]

Large leaf from an 'Atlantic Bible', in Latin, decorated manuscript on vellum

[Italy
first half of 12th century]

€2.500 - €3.500

Large single leaf, trimmed at extremities (with loss of a few lines from top and bottom), text remaining in double column of 45 lines of a rounded Romanesque hand with long 'r' and 's', 2-line red initials, recovered from reuse in a later binding and hence with scuffs, folds and one area with old water damage, overall fair and presentable condition, 415 by 305mm

The 'Atlantic Bible' was the great achievement of the Italian book arts in the eleventh and twelfth centuries - a skilful recapturing of grandeur and monumentality of the Carolingian 'Tours Bibles', but with script that is recognisably shifting towards the early Gothic. The present leaf came from a book of substantial size: it is missing approximately ten lines from its head and foot together. Taking these into account, the parent codex must have been about 620 by 400mm

Manuscripts