id: 152260 accession number: 1985.140 share license status: CC0 url: https://clevelandart.org/art/1985.140 updated: 2022-01-04 16:59:39.421000 Historiated Initial (E) Excised from the Colonna Missal: The Martyrdom of St. Stephen, c. 1532. Apollonio de' Bonfratelli (Italian). Ink, tempera, and liquid gold on vellum; sheet: 10 x 10 cm (3 15/16 x 3 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, John L. Severance Fund 1985.140 title: Historiated Initial (E) Excised from the Colonna Missal: The Martyrdom of St. Stephen title in original language: series: series in original language: creation date: c. 1532 creation date earliest: 1527 creation date latest: 1537 current location: creditline: John L. Severance Fund copyright: --- culture: Italy, Rome, 16th century technique: ink, tempera, and liquid gold on vellum department: Medieval Art collection: MED - Manuscript Illuminations type: Manuscript find spot: catalogue raisonne: --- CREATORS * Apollonio de' Bonfratelli (Italian) - artist --- measurements: Sheet: 10 x 10 cm (3 15/16 x 3 15/16 in.) state of the work: edition of the work: support materials: inscriptions: --- CURRENT EXHIBITIONS title: The Year in Review for 1985 opening date: 1986-02-12T05:00:00 The Year in Review for 1985. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (February 12-April 20, 1986). title: The Decorated Letter and the Illuminator's Art opening date: 1993-09-25T04:00:00 The Decorated Letter and the Illuminator's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 25-December 19, 1993). --- LEGACY EXHIBITIONS --- PROVENANCE (Sotheby's, London, sale 10/10/1967, lot 17) date: footnotes: citations: R. T. Milne date: footnotes: citations: (Sotheby's, London, sale 10/10/1967, lot 17); R.T. Milne date: footnotes: citations: --- fun fact: digital description: wall description: This initial was once part of a manuscript missal (a service book for the altar) made for Cardinal Pompeo Colonna, probably in the year of his death. The letter E is decorated with gold arabesque and rope-work patterns evocative of Renaissance goldsmithing. At the center is a small pen-and-ink drawing representing the death of Saint Stephen, the Christian Church's first martyr. The text introduced by this initial comes from the Offertory of the Mass for the Feast of Saint Stephen (December 26), and would have read, Elegerunt Apostoli Stephanum (And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith, and the Holy Ghost). The illuminator, Apollonio de' Bonfratelli, was active at the papal court where he decorated manuscripts for Popes Pius IV and V as well as other members of the Church hieiarchy. --- RELATED WORKS --- CITATIONS --- IMAGES web: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.140/1985.140_web.jpg print: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.140/1985.140_print.jpg full: https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/1985.140/1985.140_full.tif