Medieval Bible Leaf, c. 1240 Historiated Initial of Nehemiah presenting a gold cup to Artaxerxes

Original leaf from a medieval manuscript pocket Bible with illuminations from the Johannes Grusch Atelier. latin gothic minuscule script, ruled in red and written in brown ink, on animal vellum. Rubricated chapter numbers, initials and marginalia in red and blue. 44 lines of text in double columns (12 lines per inch!). This leaf is from Paris, France and is dated c. A.D 1240.The six-line historiated initial V” is in pink with white tracery and on a dark blue ground, extending into the margin in pink, blue, gold and orange- and with a dragon-like creature resting its head on the upper edge of the initial. The center of the initial portrays Nehemiah presenting a gol cup to Artaxerxes ( a Persian King) in colors of gold, blue, green, orange, pink and white. One two-line initial “S” in red with extensive blue penwork extending along the inner margin.This leaf begins with text from I Esdras (Ezra) 1:5-10:44 “vespertino… ( I rose up from my affliction, and having rent my mantle and my garment, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands to the Lord my God…). The historical initial “V” begins Nehemias (Nehemiah) 1:1-5: “Verba Neemiae… (The words of Nehemias the son of Helchias…)”

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