An illuminated manuscript with 252 richly illustrated pages probably produced at Gorleston at a time when East Anglia was one of the foremost artistic centres in Europe.
The manuscript is a fascinating record of medieval humour, teeming with bizarre and imaginative marginal illustrations.
Perhaps the chief joy of the work is the secular imagery in the margins, which displays an uninhibited humour and inventiveness of Monty Pythonesque proportions. Images include a dog dressed as a bishop, an ape giving medical advice to a bear, grotesques with faces in their bottoms and legs growing from their shoulders, a rabbit riding a hound, a trouser less man pulling a dragon's tongue, and an astonishingly naturalistic giant skate which swims across the page.
It was acquired after a high profile campaign was launched by the Art Fund to raise the funds and the grant includes a contribution from the Wolfson Foundation.
More information
Title of artwork, date
Macclesfield Psalter, c1330
Date supported
2005
Medium and material
Gold & tempera on vellum
Dimensions
17 x 10.8 cm
Grant
500,000
Total cost
1,685,600
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