Text only

Page 58 Commentary

Previous - translation & transcription - Next

Image © Hildesheim, St Godehard
CHANSON TEXT, INITIAL B

The hollow stem of the initial, bound by interlace, is filled with palmettes. Among the tendrils in the hoops of the letter are two fleshy trefoils with turned-in tips. The background of the letter is filled with blue green and purple.

The design of the letter can be found in other contemporary St Albans manuscripts. This same construction and colour scheme is found in Cambridge, Corpus Christi College 290, f1 (Thomson 1982, pl 49). The same palmettes in the stem are found in Hereford Cathedral Library O.1.8.f113v (Thomson 1982, pl71)

Lines basically alternate with red and blue ink but two red words extend into the blue line 2. The capitals begin with two contrasting in red and blue, and the remainder are green. The green letters may have been filled in after the page was complete because they each occupy a very generous gap.

Quire 5


Image © Hildesheim, St Godehard
   

Go to

Go to

•
•
•
A collaboration between History of Art and Historic Collections
University of Aberdeen - King's College - Aberdeen - AB24 3SW
  University of Aberdeen  
dombibliothek@bistum-hildesheim.de
© 2003