Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Missal
England, 1220-1225
MS M.914b fol.

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Initial P:
Abraham: sacrificing Isaac -- Angel, nimbed, appearing within arc of heaven, grasps, with draped right hand, sword raised by Abraham, glancing toward angel. He places right hand on head of Isaac, seated on altar. To left, ram appears amid bushes.
Scene within bowl of initial P.
In stem of initial are the following four figures and scenes within quatrefoil medallions, from top to bottom:
1) David, seated on bench, plays harp.
2) Christ, cross-nimbed, seated on bench, raises right hand and holds book in draped left hand.
3) Virgin Mary: Annunciation -- Angel, holding scroll in left, raising right hand, pointing, stands before Virgin Mary, veiled, raising right hand.
4) Virgin Mary: Visitation -- Virgin Mary and Elizabeth, both veiled, embrace.
Initials UD:
Within initial U, Christ, seated within medallion formed by foliate interlace, raises right hand and holds book in left hand. To right, male figure seated on bar crossing shared stem of initials U and D, holds branch of foliate ornament. Below, Personification of Church (Ecclesia), holding chalice in right hand and bannered cross-staff in left hand, glances up.
Within initial D, Virgin Mary, crowned, seated on bench, raises right hand and supports Christ Child in lap with left hand. To left, male figure. seated on bar crossing shared stem of initials U and D, holds branch of foliate ornament. Below, Personification of Synagogue (Synagoga), blind-folded, holding broken bannered cross-staff in right hand and upside-down tablets in left hand.
Initials P and UD are decorated with foliate interlace inhabited by animals.