H. 46,8 cm ; l. 32,8 cm

M0536_V.I.2.2

Ce feuillet fait partie d’un antiphonaire, livre d’église recueillant les parties chantées par le chœur à l’office ou à la messe, provenant de l’ancien prieuré clunisien de Relanges (Vosges), fondé en 1049. Consacré à l’office de sainte Claire, le feuillet débute par la lettre I. Sur la partie supérieure du rinceau de chêne, de vigne et de petits pois apparaît un dragon qui se transforme en bas en animal chimérique à tête de moine. Frise végétale, animaux et créatures imaginaires sont régulièrement associés comme décoration des marges des manuscrits médiévaux.

These two pages come from the former priory of Relanges (Vosges), founded in 1013, which belongs to the Cluniac order. An antiphonary is a collection of liturgical chants sung during mass and is usually lavishly illuminated. ; The page devoted to the Office of St Claire bears an illuminated full-height capital letter “I”. On a red and blue ground with a green and brown border edged with white fleurons (florets), a rinceau (sinuous stem) of oak, vine and peas extends from top to bottom of the letter. At the top of the stem is a dragon which is transformed at the base of the letter into a fantastical animal with a monk’s head. Two medallions, depicting the head of a bearded monk set on animal feet and a winged devil with an animal’s body, punctuate the line of the stem. ; The second page is devoted to the Office of St Anthony of Padua. The letter “F” also fills almost the full height of the page and has similar ornamentation, but only a pea plant is present. A circular medallion depicting a dog is inserted between the two bars of the “F”.