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Historiated initial from a Gradual
Artist: Master of the Cypresses
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Parchment, 180 x 210 mm, two lines of fragmentary text and one fragmentary five-line musical stave ruled in red ink on reverse.
CONTENTS: The initial V would have introduced the Introit of the Mass for Ascension, Viri Galilei, quid admiramini aspicientes; on reverse, part of the Communion for Tuesday before Ascension, [Petite et accipietis] querite inveniet[is].
DECORATION: Historiated initial formed of geometric motifs and stylized acanthus on burnished gold ground, with identical border ornament: [V, 2 ll. of text and one musical stave] Ascension.
History note: F.W. Cosens, F.S.A., of Lewes, Sussex; his sale, Christie’s, London, 17-19 May 1890, lot 397; Rev. E.S. Dewick (1844–1917); presented to the Museum by his son, Rev. E.C. Dewick, in 1918.
Method of acquisition: Given (1918) by Dewick, E. C.
Support composed of parchment
Accession number: MS 291
Primary reference Number: 176490
Project ID: 3472
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Manuscripts and Printed Books
This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:
The Fitzwilliam Museum (2025) "Historiated initial from a Gradual" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/176490 Accessed: 2025-12-05 09:46:31
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/176490
|title=Historiated initial from a Gradual
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-05 09:46:31|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-176490
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<img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/portfolio/F25982D9_7CB9_CFFF_028E_8BBFC531887C/727/699/large_MS_291_dc1.jpg"
alt="Historiated initial from a Gradual"
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<figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Historiated initial from a Gradual</figcaption>
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