| Description | Manuscript on paper in a Bavarian dialect. The text is the 'Passio Christi' or Christ's Passion.
Consists of 166 leaves in quires of 12; the 11th leaf of the last quire is torn out and the 12th leaf has been adhered to the rear board. Several watermarks are visible, namely in quires 1-5 a bull (only half of which is now visible, c.f. Heitz 205 dated 1554) and quires 6-14 possibly a fragment of the three hills (c.f. Heitz 110). The text is in two hands: f.1r-60v a large gothic cursive of the late 15th century in deep black ink, and f.61r-166v a smaller hand, also gothic cursive, written continuously. In both cases initial letters are in red and the text has been ornamented with red upright strokes throughout. Red has also been used to underline important words and passages, and for paragraph marks
Red initial letters and upright strokes throughout. Bound in original alum-tawed sheepskin cover, stained pink, over oak boards. Secondary chemise covering, also alumtawed and stained pink, cut with head and tail flap to create the chemise. Contemporary single brass clasp with duck head decoration. |
| AdminHistory | This is a fine surviving example of a late medieval "chemise" binding. The chemise style of binding, only applied to the most precious and venerated texts, was also used as a visual display of personal piety. The bindings played a significant role in the iconography of late medieval painting, sculpture and manuscript illumination. The tail flap on this example has been removed, possibly to allow the book to stand upright on a library shelf, but it would once have been long enough to be carried by hand or attached to a belt. Following the Reformation most chemise bindings were seen as symbolic of the Catholic church and were were either deliberately damaged or had their chemise coverings removed so the books could be re-bound. |