Initial R from a Choral Book with King David(?) (c. 1470–1480): Art, History and Details

Initial R from a Choral Book with King David(?) (c. 1470–1480) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection. The museum's creator attribution is Guglielmo Giraldi del Magri [or del Magro] (Italian).

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

This sumptuous initial is painted in deep hues set against a burnished gold ground in order to achieve a rich jewellike effect. The design of the letter incorporates such motifs as gemstones, pearls, and classical cameos—much favored by Renaissance princes—to add further refinement to the image.

Object facts

• Title: Initial R from a Choral Book with King David(?)
• Date: c. 1470–1480
• Creator attribution: Guglielmo Giraldi del Magri [or del Magro] (Italian)
• Culture: Italy, Ferrara, 15th century
• Type: Manuscript
• Technique: ink, tempera and gold on vellum
• Dimensions: Sheet: 16 x 18 cm (6 5/16 x 7 1/16 in.)
• Collection: MED - Manuscript Illuminations
• Department: Medieval Art
• Accession number: 1953.22

Collection credit

Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.