Leaf from a Psalter – 2

Description of Art: A leaf on vellum from a Psalter from Flanders.  With a 2-lined decorated initial with gilding, 5 1-lined pen flourished initials in red and blue ink, 4 1 lined pen flourished initials with gilding, 6 line fillers, and a ruled column of 18 lines of text in brownish ink, with rubrics in red ink, on the recto.

With four one line, pen, florist, initials in red and blue ink, 4 1 line pen, flourish, initials with gilding, 3 line, fillers, and a ruled column of 18 lines of text in brownish Inc., with a rubric and red ink, on verso.

A late 13th century, Flemish Psalter that moved into the hands of a Celestine monastery in the 14th century. The final 10 leaves from the manuscript were added in the 14th century by a different hand.

A rubric is a word or section of tax that is written or printed in red to annunciate it. The term derives from the Latin rubric, which medieval illumination manuscripts. These red letters were used to highlight initials, section headings, and names of religious significance. This practice is known as the rubrication and was a separate stage in the production of a manuscript.

Rubric may also refer to the red ink, paint or pigment used to make the rubrics. Although Red was most commonly used, other colors also began to be used in the late middle ages onward. The word rubric refers to these as well.

In the process of creating an illuminated manuscript, the text was typically written first. Sheets of the parchment or Vellum we’re caught to the appropriate size. Once the general layout of the page was planned, the page was then lightly ruled with a pointed stick. Subsequently the scribe began to work with ink and sharpened quilt, feather or a reed pen.

The psalter was one of the earliest versions of medieval manuscripts created for private devotional use, first appearing as early as the ninth century. It’s used predated the book of ours, which came into widespread use in the 13th century. The psalter contained Psalms in other devotional text which were recited during the week, usually as Matins and Vespers (morning and evening prayers).