1275
tempera
vellum
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Leaf 6 from an antiphonal fragment is a 1275 tempera by Italian 13th Century, held at National Gallery of Art.
This page is an old book leaf with music and text. The lines of red ink hold black square notes, and the words are in a strange, looping script. Big letters at the start of each line are painted in bright colors—blue, red, and gold—with little pictures inside them, like a robed figure and a fancy "P" with a trumpet. The words are Latin, and the notes look like they’re for singing. The page feels fragile, like it’s been around for a long time. If you like this, check out more about tempera.
This artist shaped the look of church music between 1250 and 1299, painting bold red-and-blue initials on vellum pages meant for choirs.
See the richer artist page
