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<p>Free Library of Philadelphia, Lewis E 10. Milan, Italy, Produced for the Monastery of Sant' Ambrogio Maggiore, Milan; early 16th century. This Diurnal Antiphonary contains liturgical texts and their musical settings for saints' feast days from the vigil of Saint Martin of Tours to the Feast of All Saints (the Sanctorale cycle, fols. 1r-211r), followed by commemorations for the Virgin Mary, Saint Ambrosius of Milan, Saint Benedict of Nursia, and Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (fols. 211v-216v) and finally antiphons for the vigil of Saint Benedict (fols. 216v-220v). It was made for the Monastery of Sant'Ambrogio Maggiore in Milan early in the sixteenth century, whose coat of arms appear in the bottom margin of fol. 1r (the scourge held by a fist). Two other choirbooks from the same series were sold in 1902 at the same sale as this book (Sotehby's, London, 21 April 1902, lots 46 and 48). The text is accompanied by five-line staves with musical notation, and is adorned with a number of inhabited and historiated initials. The largest, on fol. 1r, shows Saint Martin of Tours dividing his cloak with a beggar. The following miniatures show Saint Benedict (as a marginal illustration, fol. 66r), Saint Victor (fol. 75v), Saints Protasius and Gervasius (fol. 85v), Saint John the Baptist with the Agnus Dei (fol. 89v), Saints Peter and Paul (fol. 95r), Saint Mary Magdalene (fol. 110v), Saints Nazarius and Celsus (fol. 118r), Maccabees (fol. 121v), the Assumption of the Virgin (fol. 132v), Saint Bernard (fol. 138r), Saint Bartholomew (fol. 142v), Saint John the Baptist holding his head (fol. 147v), the Birth of the Virgin (fol. 151r), Saint Satyrus (fol. 157r), Saint Michael (fol. 162r), the Pentecost (fol. 168r), an apostle (fol. 182r), a male martyr (fol. 187r), three martyrs (fol. 190v), Saint Tecla (fol. 202r), and the Virgin Mary (fol. 206r). The artist has been identified as a follower of both Giovan Pietro Birago and Master B. F., notable Milanese illuminators active around 1500. At least one other unidentified artist, of lesser talent, participated in some of the decoration. At least six leaves are missing (between fols. 169 and 176) and two initials have been excised (presumably for their miniatures, from fols. 20r and 195v).
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<br>Subjects: Antiphonary; Italian; Italy</div>
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Free Library of Philadelphia</div>
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