Initial A with an unidentified saint In this initial, which begins an unidentified chant, Christ appears as the mocked King of the Jews. Among the many torments he suffered during his Passion, Christ was given a crown of thorns and a reed as a scepter. Here, Christ holds the reed in his bound hands, and a green crown of thorns causes blood to flow down his face, which can be seen through the diaphanous veil covering his head... Initial S with Christ crowned with thorns These initials have been attributed to the Venetian illuminator Cristoforo Cortese, active from ca. 1399 to before 1445, when a document refers to him as already dead. Several other leaves in the Free Library have also been attributed to Cortese.
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