TEXT FROM SUFFRAGES

France, mid-15th century. 155 x 113 mm. (6 1/8 x 4 1/2"). Single column, 14 lines in a gothic book hand.
Rubrics in red, one two-line initial in pink with white tracery, filled with painted ivy vines and on a gold ground, BOTH SIDES WITH THREE-QUARTER BORDER composed of hairline vines, gold ivy and bezants, and painted flowers, fruit, and acanthus, outer margin near text column with a thin blue and gold bar terminating in colorful acanthus, recto with A SMALL (40 x 35 mm.) MINIATURE OF ST. CHRISTOPHER CROSSING THE RIVER WITH THE CHRIST CHILD ON HIS BACK. Verso with remnants of mounting tape on four corners. ◆General faint soiling and a few negligible marginal spots, small area of dampstaining on lower corner and margins, but a very attractive leaf with no serious issues, and the miniature in excellent condition, very bright and fresh.

This charming miniature depicts the most well-known episode from the life of St. Christopher, in which he carries the "weight of the world" across a perilous river (part of the charm here is that the river as depicted in the small space available to the miniaturist presents no more peril than a puddle). According to Catholic tradition, St. Christopher was a man of extraordinary size who, after converting to Christianity, served God by acting as a ferryman of sorts, using his bulk to help people cross a particularly dangerous stretch of water. During one such crossing, the weight of one of his smallest passengers became almost too much to bear; after he arrived safely on the other side of the river, it was revealed that his passenger was the Christ Child, and that Christopher had been carrying both the weight of the world and its savior. The artist of the present miniature emphasizes the burden felt by the saint, depicting him with a bent back and knees, relying heavily on his walking stick as he makes his way through the water. Christ sits confidently astride the saint's shoulders, holding a golden orb in one hand and making the sign of benediction--his two fingers pointing toward the opposite shore--with the other. Though the miniature is small, the story is immediately grasped and the artist makes excellent use of the space with harmonious shapes and bright colors. The unusual format of this leaf is also interesting, with the borders being quite thick and the miniature situated outside the text rather than within it. The overall design is pleasing, and dozens of gilt bezants and leaves on both recto and verso add an extra touch of luxury..