VERY RARE EARLY to MID 15TH CENTURY FRENCH, NORTHERN EUROPEAN, MEDIEVAL, ANTIQUE ILLUMINATED OPAQUE WATERCOLOR on VELLUM PAPER, of CHRIST with HALO, HOLDING STAFF, SEEN BLESSING a KNEELING, PRAYING WOMAN with the FINGERS of HIS RIGHT HAND, LIKELY PREVIOUSLY REMOVED from the BOUND MANUSCRIPT VOLUME, it was ORIGINALLY found in

[The early to mid-15th century opaque watercolor painting was found in a mid-19th century American antique period walnut wooden picture frame with gold gilt liner. It's of course, not the original frame for the work, because the painting was realized much earlier, firstly in France in the early to mid 15th century & would've originally been bound in a manuscript volume, accompanied by hand written, calligraphy text]

(Circa 1535-1570)

Early to mid 15th century, French antique, Medieval, Byzantine, northern European hand painted, illuminated manuscript figurative opaque watercolor paintings on vellum paper

DIMENSIONS:

Frame: 16" Height x 12 ¼" Width 

Image under matting: 8 ¾" Height x 8 ½" Width

Weight: 2 lbs. 9 oz.

 DESCRIPTION: 

This early to mid 15th century antique opaque watercolor vellum painting was found in a mid-19th century American antique period walnut wooden picture frame with a gold gilt liner with cut paper matting. It's of course, not the original frame for the work, because the painting was realized much earlier, firstly in France and in the early to mid-15th century and would have originally been bound in a manuscript volume, accompanied by hand written calligraphic text. The image depicts a standing Christ, surrounded by an ornate halo holding a staff with a cross, dressed in a long, flowing robe, barefooted and wearing open sandals, blessing a kneeling, praying woman with the outstretched fingers of his right hand. The woman is seen also wearing a flowing robe and headscarf, also surrounded by a halo around her head. Aside from the opaque watercolor paint, which is largely undamaged and undiminished by light, there's gold, gilt hand coloring of the watercolor painting, lending the work its descriptive moniker as an 'illuminated' painting. Due to its fairly large size and format, it was most likely once from a manuscript and would have been a full page, hand painted color illustration. There are no edge tears, stains, foxing or other damage to the paper surface. An outstanding, nearly 500 year-old northern European cultural artifact, most likely realized in France, in the early to mid-15th century, circa 1535 to 1570. It's absolutely thrilling to be the temporary custodian of something this old, in this good shape and in this well-preserved antique condition. It won't disappoint. Extraordinary. An object of great, unmitigated beauty. Very fine.

 CONDITION: 

Good to Very Good overall antique condition.

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