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 superb hand-colored image shows the arrest of Jesus, with apostle Peter cutting off Malchus' ear. The text below the image translates as:

The passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, according to John

The recto of this vellum leaf includes a hand-colored image of Evangelist Mark and elaborate iron engravings that feature a female warrior and a biblical scene. This vellum leaf is from a Book of Hours printed on vellum by Gilles Hardouin for Germain Hardouin librayre demourant entre les deux portes du Palays en l’enseigne Saincte Marguerite (bookseller living between the two gates of the Palace at the sign of Saint Marguerite) of Paris.

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Condition: A

A bright example with a bit of show-through of the image on recto.