This leaf is from the brief transitional period when the new technology of printing with movable type was combined with the more labor intensive methods of hand painting. The earliest printers were trained in the manuscript tradition and incorporated the conventions of historiated initials and illustrations into their early work. At first they left those spaces blank for the illuminator to complete entirely by hand. Later they developed printing methods (using woodcuts or iron engravings) to decorate the leaves.

This vellum leaf from a Book of Hours was printed on vellum by Gilles Hardouin for Germaine Hardouin's librayre demourant entre les deux portes du Palays en l'ensigne saincte marguerite in Paris. All initials are highlighted by hand in red, blue and liquid gold.

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Condition: A+

Very clean, fine vellum.