Cutting from an Antiphonal

Bartolomeo Rigossi da Gallarate

about 1465

Tempera colors, gold leaf, and ink, Tempera Colors, Ink

J. Paul Getty Museum

Originally forming part of a page from a choir book, this illuminated A was the first letter of a long and elaborate chant sung on Easter Sunday. The text of the chant describes the scene at Jesus' tomb on Easter morning. The angel of the Lord spoke to the women saying, "Whom do you seek? Do you seek Jesus? He is already risen. Come and see." In the initial, the angel perched atop the empty sarcophagus gestures aloft to indicate that Jesus has risen from the dead. A second initial depicting the resurrected Christ may have been taken from the same book. The dazzling gold diffused throughout the scene and the reflective lemon yellow o