Collection Online as of March 31, 2023

Initial D[omine] from a Choral Book: King Solomon

c. 1470–1480

attributed to Guglielmo Giraldi del Magri [or del Magro]

(Italian)

Italy, Ferrara, 15th century

Ink, tempera and gold on vellum

Sheet: 17 x 14 cm (6 11/16 x 5 1/2 in.)

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1951.548

Location

not on view

Description

The initial D takes the form of the Temple at Jerusalem, built by King Solomon, who occupies the initial's interior space. The remaining letters omine (the Latin word for Lord), reside beneath the D against grounds of alternating colors. This once was part of a group of Old Testament portraits decorating a choral book. Giraldi held a privileged reputation as an illuminator for the court of Borso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara (died 1471).

Provenance

Ottley

Exhibition history

The Cleveland Museum of Art (10/10/2004 - 10/02/2005); "Illuminated Manuscripts"

Cleveland Museum of Art, (11/06/2010 - 04/17/2011); "The Glory Of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collections"

The Decorated Letter and the Illuminator's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 25-December 19, 1993).

Illuminated Manuscripts. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 10, 2004-October 2, 2005).

The Glory of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (November 6, 2010-April 17, 2011).