Coming from the esteemed collection of Robert McCarthy, very important collector of medieval art who still preserves at least six other initials from the same manuscript as well as other cuttings that probably originate from the same Atlantic Bible, these three beautifully illuminated initials depict the letters "E", "H", and "N". They all originate from the same Bible, which was extremely large in size in order to reflect the major importance of the text as well as of the patron who commissioned the creation of the Bible. This type of Bible is known as Bibbie Atlantiche (referring to the mythical creature that supported the sky) or Atlantic Bible (referring to the size of the Atlantic Ocean). It was first created mainly in Rome at the end of the 11th century, before spreading, especially in Florence during the 12th century.

The three initials are lavishly illuminated by a Tuscan illuminator (active, 12th century), showcasing a design rooted in the later Geometric style, which draws inspiration from ancient Greek art, particularly noted in pottery. While dating from almost a thousand years old, this geometric and colorful aesthetic is extremely modern. Each letter is meticulously adorned with multiple segments of diverse shapes, intricately decorated with geometric patterns in vibrant red, blue, or green. The spaces within these letters are artistically filled with intertwining vine stems or a combination of vine stems and acanthus leaves, which elegantly blend with the geometric forms that constitute the initials. Individually housed in three modern, hand-painted frames, the bright colors and shapes of these initials stand out against a passe-partout whose color imitates that of parchment.

According to the research conducted by professor Gaudenz Freuler, the high quality of the present initials as well as the stylistic features suggest that the Atlantic Bible from which these initials were extracted was likely executed in Tuscany, Italy, during the final quarter of the 12th century. A pertinent comparison can be drawn with the elaborately decorated initials found in an Atlantic Bible currently housed in Siena’s Biblioteca Comunale degli Intronati (MS. F.I.5). Furthermore, prof. Gaudenz Freuler suggests that our three initials, and the Atlantic Bible they come from, were created in the same scriptorium as the Atlantic Bible from which originate two illuminated leaves and one cutting also kept in the Robert McCarthy collection (MS BM 1329, 1330 and 1446). However, as suggested by Peter Kidd, these fragments may be extracted from the same Atlantic Bible as our initials. In this case, the scriptorium is currently only known through the fragments of one Atlantic Bible, the Bible from which our three illuminated initials come from.

We thank Prof. Gaudenz Freuler for his expertise as well as Peter Kidd for pointing outthat other leaves in the McCarthy collection are probably sister leaves.

Sister leaves
Six initials "N", "S", "V", "O", "I" and "V": London, Robert McCarthy collection.
Probably, several fragments from the McCarthy collection (The McCarthy Collection. Vol. 1: Italian and Byzantine Miniatures, London, 2018, n° 12 [two leaves and one cutting], 15 [four initials], maybe 16 [five initials]) come from the same Atlantic Bible.
It is possible that seven decorated initials sold c. 1985 (London, Maggs Bros LTD, catalogue 1059: Papyrus to Paper: Papyri, illuminated initials and leaves, paleographical specimens, Books of Hours and other manuscripts [undated, c. 1985]) come from the same Atlantic Bible.