calendar occupies a space of about six inches by four,
completely enclosed by a coloured margin. Then begins a series of the most
beautiful ornaments of FLOWERS, FRUITS, INSECTS, &C. for which the
illuminators of this period were often eminently distinguished. These
ornaments are almost uniformly introduced in the fore-edges, or right-side
margins, of the leaves; although occasionally, but rarely, they encircle
the text. They are from five to six inches in length, or height; having the
Latin name of the plant at top, and the French name at the bottom. Probably
these titles were introduced by a later hand. It is really impossible to
describe many of them in terms of adequate praise. The downy plum is almost
bursting with ripeness: the butterfly's wings seem to be in tremulous
motion, while they dazzle you by their varied lustre: the hairy insect puts
every muscle and fibre into action, as he insinuates himself within the
curling of the crisped leaves; while these leaves are sometimes glittering
with dew, or coated with the finest down. The flowers and the vegetables
are equally admirable, and equally true to nature. To particularise would
be endless. Assuredly these efforts of art have no rival--of their kind.
_Scripture Subjects. Saints, Confessors, &c._ succeed in regular order,
with accompaniments of fruits and flowers, more or less exquisitely
executed:--the whole, a collection of peculiar, and, of its kind,
UNRIVALLED ART. This extraordinary volume measures twelve inches by seven
and a half.
HOURS BELONGING TO POPE PAUL III. 8vo. The portrait of the Pope is at the
bottom of the first ornament, which fixes the period of its execution to
about the middle of the sixteenth century. Towards the end the pages are
elaborately ornamented in the arabesque manner. There are some pleasing
children: of that style of art which is seen in the Missal belonging to Sir
M.M. Sykes, of the time of Francis I.[37] The scription is very beautiful.
The volume afterwards belonged to Pius VI., whose arms are worked in
tambour on the outside. It is kept in a case, and is doubtless a fine book.
MISSALS: numbers 19-4650. Under this head I shall notice two pretty volumes
of the devotional kind; of which the subjects are executed in red, blue,
&c.--and of which the one seems to be a copy of the other. The borders
exhibit a style of art somewhat between that of Julio Clovio and what is
seen in the famous Missal just mentioned.
MISSAL OF HENR
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