This large and richly illuminated initial letter H comes from a gigantic Bible, a so-called 'Bibbie Atlantiche' (in reference to the mythical creature that supported the sky) or 'Atlantic Bible' (in reference to the size of the Atlantic Ocean). This type of Bibles began to spread in Rome at the end of the 11th century and then expanded throughout Italy, especially Florence, during the 12th century. Through their enormous size, they meant to represent the extreme importance of the text as well as of the donor. Only a few Atlantic Bibles have survived to this day, and the pages or initials from this type of manuscript are extremely rare. The Bible from which our initial comes from is unidentified, but two other initials from the same Bible are known. Moreover, the present initial H comes from three major collections: the Arnold J. Mettler collection, whose manuscript and rare books collection was one of the most impressive, the Cornelius J. Hauck collection, whose sale is still to this day one of the most important in the history of bibliophilia, and the Robert McCarthy collection, which still constitutes an extremely important collection of medieval art, especially miniatures.

This initial H opens the text of the Book of Deuteronomy (from the Greek word Deuteronomion, meaning "second law"): the text reads: Haec s[un]t verba" (i. e., these words are). Richly illuminated and very large, this letter is composed of three staves (decorated with purple, green, red and blue panels with interlaced ornaments) forming the body of the letter H. Stylistic analysis indicates that this work was painted in central Italy, most certainly Rome, c. 1100. The ornaments and the stylistic patterns are very close to two Atlantic Bibles: one was commissioned by Emperor Henry IV in Rome and gifted to Hirsau Abbey before 1084 (now in Munich, Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, ms. Clm. 13001) and the other one was realized in Florence during the early 12th century (now in Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, ms. Pluteo 15.10).

While carrying almost a thousand years of history, this initial is extremely striking with its modernity, notably with the geometrical ornaments and the use of bright colors.

SISTER LEAVES
Initials "A" and "O": Esther Rosenbaum collection; London, Sotheby’s, April 25, 1983, lot 6.

We thank Peter Kidd for pointing out that this initial was part of the Arnold J. Mettler collection.