Manuscript Leaf with Initial A, from a Gradual

German

Not on view

The Biblical king David was regarded as the author of psalms and hence the father of medieval music. He frequently appears within
illuminated music manuscripts. Sheltered within the letter A, he holds a stringed instrument known as a psaltery. “To thee have I lifted up my soul” (Ad te lavavi animam meam) begins Psalm 24, seen here, which was sung on the first Sunday of Advent, the season leading up to Christmas.

Manuscript Leaf with Initial A, from a Gradual, Tempera, ink, and metal leaf on parchment, German

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