Initial V: The Ascension of Christ, leaf from a gradual

From the Getty Museum record

This striking leaf once announced the opening to the Mass of the Feast of Ascension (May 29) in a Christian choir book made for a Benedictine monastery. The initial *V* contains a scene depicting the Ascension, with Christ swiftly moving away from his mother and disciples on earth and towards heaven. The vibrant vegetal details of the initial extend to the margin, where Saint Justina holds a book encased in a precious chemise binding (a protective cover often made of expensive textiles or leather), an angel plays a portative organ, and a naturalistically rendered pheasant emerges from the brightly colored feathery leaves. The artist Cristoforo Cortesi painted this page at the end of his long career when his mature style displayed a new sense of vitality.