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Bratislava Missal Fragment

A single leaf from a missal dating to the first half of the 15th century, surviving as a codex fragment. Based on the fold marks and the wear on the verso, it was later reused for the binding of another book; judging by the extent of the abrasion, the host volume must have been subjected to frequent use. One folio, 31×40.2 cm, written in brown iron-gall ink in a Gothic book hand in two columns (column size 8.2×28 cm). The script size varies according to the liturgical genre, with an average of 31 lines per column. The decoration features red and blue on the recto, and red, blue, and green on the verso. On the recto, the text is structured by red and blue initials, red rubrics placed on the right side of the column (antiphona, oratio, psalmus), red strokes highlighting the brown capital letters, and alternating script sizes in the right column. The verso additionally features longer rubrics in red ink (practical instructions for the performance of the ceremony, e.g., "Hic accendantur candele et aspergantur aqua benedicta" ["Here the candles are lit and sprinkled with holy water"], etc., with red crosses before the names of the Holy Trinity in the texts of the blessings), as well as a richly decorated "S" initial in body color. Acanthus leaf flourishes extend from the corners of the initial to fill the space, with those facing the body of the text being more prominent, essentially forming a decorative border for the column. Next to the initial, a difficult-to-read early modern note is written perpendicularly to the medieval text.

The fragment contains the text for the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Ordo in purificatione Virginis Mariae, February 2). While this text is found in numerous medieval Hungarian missals, this specific fragment contains scribal errors and variant readings (e.g., firmitatis instead of firmitatem, orantes instead of ovantes, etc.) compared to known versions. Following the rubric "Ad missam. Introitus," the "S" initial marks the beginning of the Mass for the feast ("Suscepimus, Deus, misericordiam tuam"), which is readable up to the opening words of the Old Testament lesson (Lectio Malachiae prophetae).

Despite the circumstances of its survival, the potential stylistic connections of the fragment are relatively well-mapped. Its acanthus vine decoration shows a close affinity with the Bratislava missals dated by research to the 1420s. Most scholars identify these with the illuminator Michael Tyrnavius, originally from Nagyszombat (Trnava), who fulfilled commissions in Upper Hungary as well as in Klosterneuburg and Vienna, and who also illuminated two armorial patents for the city of Bratislava in 1436. The works associated with him are first-rate examples of the so-called International Gothic style, which became increasingly popular across Europe and the Kingdom of Hungary in the early decades of the 15th century; their execution ranks them among the finest pieces of the style. Consequently, this fragment is likely also linked to Bratislava, and based on known parallels, its creation can be dated to the 1420s or 1430s.

Parchment, stained and worn, with several small and one medium-sized loss, though the latter does not affect the text. Housed in a modern, half-leather protective case.