The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 20, 2025

Initial D[omine] from a Choral Book: King Solomon

c. 1470–1480

attributed to Guglielmo Giraldi del Magri [or del Magro]

(Italian)
Italy, Ferrara, 15th century
ink, tempera and gold on vellum
Sheet: 17 x 14 cm (6 11/16 x 5 1/2 in.)
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1951.548
Location: Not on view

Description

The initial D takes the form of the Temple at Jerusalem, built by King Solomon, who occupies the initial's interior space. The remaining letters omine (the Latin word for Lord), reside beneath the D against grounds of alternating colors. This once was part of a group of Old Testament portraits decorating a choral book. Giraldi held a privileged reputation as an illuminator for the court of Borso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara (died 1471).
  • Ottley
    Ottley
  • Milliken, William. "Style in Thirteenth and Fifteenth Century Illuminations." The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art 39, no. 3 (March 1952): 55-56. Mentioned: p. 56; Reproduced: p. 59 www.jstor.org
  • The Glory of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collection. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (November 6, 2010-April 17, 2011).
    Cleveland Museum of Art, (11/06/2010 - 04/17/2011); "The Glory Of the Painted Page: Manuscript Illuminations from the Permanent Collections"
    Illuminated Manuscripts. The Cleveland Museum of Art (organizer) (October 10, 2004-October 2, 2005).
    The Cleveland Museum of Art (10/10/2004 - 10/02/2005); "Illuminated Manuscripts"
    The Decorated Letter and the Illuminator's Art. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 25-December 19, 1993).
  • {{cite web|title=Initial D[omine] from a Choral Book: King Solomon|url=false|author=Guglielmo Giraldi del Magri [or del Magro]|year=c. 1470–1480|access-date=20 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1951.548