Leaf from a Bible: Initial E: Entwined Lions and Serpents (1 of 2 Excised Leaves)

Description

This pair of leaves from the same one-volume Bible have been traditionally associated with the Benedictine Abbey of Glastonbury in southwest England. It is known that the Bible once belonged to the English antiquary and collector, Roger Gale (1672–1744), whose library of 450 manuscripts once included two of the surviving 35 books from Glastonbury Abbey. Until its dissolution in 1539, Glastonbury was one of the greatest and wealthiest abbeys in Europe. Given its vast wealth and the recorded library lists, the abbey must have been a substantial patron of the arts. However, only a few illuminated manuscripts can now be positively identified as Glastonbury work.

Provenance

Glastonbury Abbey, England (purportedly); Roger Gale (1672-1744), Yorkshire, England; [Sale: Sotheby's London, 22 June 1982, lot 47] (June 22, 1982); [Bruce Ferrini, Akron, OH, sold to Jeanne Miles Blackburn]; Jeanne Miles Blackburn, Durham, NC, gifted to the Cleveland Museum of Art (-1999); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1999-)

Leaf from a Bible: Initial E: Entwined Lions and Serpents (1 of 2 Excised Leaves)

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c. 1225–50

Accession Number

1999.122

Medium

tempera and ink on vellum

Dimensions

Sheet: 20 x 15 cm (7 7/8 x 5 7/8 in.)

Classification

Manuscript

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

The Jeanne Miles Blackburn Collection