15th - 16th-Century Spanish Liturgical Choir Book - Antiphonal

Origin: Spain - The manuscript is identified as Spanish due to its Gothic Rotunda script, which features the exceptionally thick, rigid, and compressed lettering characteristic of Iberian scribes. Additionally, the distinct split-color puzzle initials are surrounded by dense, maze-like red and purple pen-flourishing that is a classic hallmark of 16th-century Spanish workshops.

Medium: Ink, tempera, and gold leaf on vellum; leather and wood binding with iron hardware

Measures: 26" × 16"× 4"

DESCRIPTION:

This monumental manuscript antiphonal is a exceptional surviving example of early modern Iberian liturgical craft. Intended for communal use, the book’s massive scale and oversized Gothic notation allowed a full church or monastic choir to sing the Divine Office simultaneously from a single, elevated central lectern. This specific opening displays the solemn Officium Defunctorum (Office for the Dead), beginning with the morning Invitatory chant, Regem cui omnia vivuntjio