Missale

Missal

Missale

Vellum leaf from an illuminated Medieval Manuscript
Germany; Middle 15th Century
Latin Text; Angular Gothic Script
36.5 by 27.5 cm

The Missal, written for the convenience of the priests, combined the separate books formerly used in different parts of the service; namely, the Oratorium, Lectionarium, Evangeliarium, Canon, and others. Gutenberg, who printed his famous First Bible about the time this manuscript was written, based his type designs on a contemporary book hand similar to this example. The craftsmen who created this manuscript had the difficult problem of evolving a harmonious page with two sizes of writing, inserted rubrics, and large and small colored initials. The smaller writing is used for the Orationes, the Psalms, the Secreta, and other parts of the service; the larger script for the Sequentia.

Keywords: 1400s, formal, Germany, gothic, initials, Missal, script

Manuscripts | Cary Collection