Missal

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Accession number:

MS M.306

Title:

Missal

Created:

Rome, Italy, ca. 1483-85.

Binding:

16th-century Italian (Rome) red morocco over wooden boards, gold-tooled; rebacked and repaired; silver clasps added at a later period.

Credit:

Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) in 1907.

Description:

158 leaves (1 column, 12 lines), bound : vellum, ill. ; 360 x 260 mm

Provenance:

Made for Cardinal Domenico della Rovere (fl. 1442-1501), his arms and motto (Soli Deo) found throughout in various places in the decoration; Edward, 2nd Baron Thurlow sale (London, Christie's, Apr. 25, 1804, no. 296) to Arch (bookseller); Archbishop John White, cat., Jan. 20, 1806, p. 3, no. 29; Edward Astle sale (London, R.H. Evans, Jan. 10, 1816, no. 246) to Thane; Francis Douce Collection; William Esdaile sale (London, Christies, Mar. 15, 1838, no. 358) to John Boykett Jarman; his sale (London, Sotheby's, June 13, 1864, no. 96), to Rutter; Edouard Rahir (1907); purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837-1913) from Edouard Rahir of Paris in 1907; J.P. Morgan (1867-1943).

Notes:

Ms. missal for the use of Rome; written and illuminated in Rome, Italy, ca. 1485.
Ms. formerly considered to have been written and illuminated in Verona, Italy.--Cf. PML files
Pierpont Morgan Library MS M.306 is v. 1 of a four volume missal; the other three volumes are in the Archivio di Stato, Turin (MSS J.II.b.2-4) and were illuminated by the Master of the della Rovere Missals.
Decoration: 2 miniatures; 28 historiated initials.
Artists: Francesco Bettini and the Master of the della Rovere Missals.
Bettini, a Veronese, signed his name as Francesco Betyni on fol. 29r and as Francischus veronensis on fol. 78v. His motto "Ab Olympo" appears on fols. 78v and 118v. He did not participate in the other three volumes of the missal.
The Master of the della Rovere Missals has been tentatively identified with the French illuminator Jacques Ravaud (Jacopo Ravaldi), established in Rome from 1469, who illustrated an opening miniature in the Statuta artis picturae of 1478 of the Confrèrie de Saint-Luc (Rome, Accademia di San Luca, ms. 1). See, B. de Chancel-Bardelot, Tours 1500. Capitale des arts, 2012, 258-261.
The Master of the della Rovere Missals seems to have painted over drawings by Bettini on some folios including 14r, 32v, and 51v.
The text of M.306 is unfinished. The Ordinary of the Mass, including Seasonal Prefaces has not been completed.
Revised: 2016

Script:

textura

Language:

Latin

Resources:

Description/Bibliography

Century:

15th century

Genres:

Missals

Illuminated manuscripts

Miniatures (Illuminations)