Single Leaf Excised from an Antiphonary: Inital A[spiciens a longe] with Christ in Majesty. Creator: Unknown.

Single Leaf Excised from an Antiphonary: Inital A[spiciens a longe] with Christ in Majesty. Creator: Unknown.

2-740-842 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Single Leaf Excised from an Antiphonary: Inital A[spiciens a longe] with Christ in Majesty, c. 1330-1350. This massive historiated initial A , among the largest painted by Renaissance illuminators, introduces the matins response for the first Sunday in Advent. For centuries this particular Sunday was known as Aspiciens a longe Sunday, since this is the very first chant of the Christian liturgical year to be sung with a special choir, or Schola Cantorum, on that day. The text as well as the image follow the prophecy of Isaiah who foresaw the birth of Christ: Aspiciens a longe, ecce, video potentiam (Long had I been watching. Behold, now do I see God coming in power as in a cloud of light). Within the letter A , Christ is enthroned in majesty surrounded by angels and saints meant to represent the redeemer who is yet to come. The two figures who occupy the bottom curves of the A are Old Testament prophets; on the left is Isaiah who holds a scroll revealing his prophecy: "Behold, a Virgin can conceive."


Image Details


Medium
  1. Ink, tempera, and gold on vellum

Picture Type
  1. Manuscript

Digital Image Size

Pixel Dimensions (W x H) : 5555x7275
File Size : 118,397kb


Aliases

  1. 1939.677
  1. 118674
  1. 0940008655
  1. 1939.677
  1. 2-740-842
  1. 2740842

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