Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Farnese Hours
Italy, Rome, 1546
MS M.69 cover

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Front cover:
Virgin Mary: Annunciation -- In center oval, Archangel Gabriel, winged, raising right hand, holding stem of lilies with left hand. Virgin Mary on back cover. Panels enclosing floreate ornament, masks, half figures of nude men grasping, and terminating in, foliage; on each corner, fleur-de-lis referring to Farnese heraldry.
Front cover, inside:
In center oval, cardinals hat surmounting escutcheon bearing heraldry of Alessandro Farnese with six fleurs-de-lis. Inscription in border surrounding the oval, ALEXANDER CARD[INALIS] FARNESIVS EP[ISCOPUS] OSTTEN S[UORUM] R[EVERENTIORUM] E[MINENTISSIMORUM] VICECAN[CELLARIVS]. Panels enclosing floreate ornament; on each corner, fleur-de-lis referring to Farnese heraldry.
Back cover:
Virgin Mary: Annunciation -- In center oval, Virgin Mary, decorated nimbus, standing with arms extended, next to draped table, with clawed animal feet, on which is book. Archangel Gabriel on front cover. Panels enclosing floreate ornament, masks, half figures of nude men and women (?) grasping, and terminating in, foliage; on each corner, fleur-de-lis referring to Farnese heraldry.
Back cover, inside:
In center oval, cardinals hat surmounting escutcheon bearing heraldry of Odoardo Farnese with six fleurs-de-lis. Inscription in border surrounding the oval, ODOARDVS FARNESIVS S[UORUM] R[EVERENTIORUM] E[MINENTISSIMORUM] DIACON CARD[INALIS] S[ANCTI] EVSTACHII.