Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Antiphonary
Italy, Milan, ca. 1470-1495
M.686 fol. 3r

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Christ: Resurrection -- Christ, crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing, holding with left hand cross-inscribed cross-staff, his body partially draped, showing wounds, stands on edge of sarcophagus. Four soldiers, three holding spears, sit or recline asleep on ground around the sarcophagus.
Scene enclosed in initial A, formed by upright fish biting foliate top. Initial decorated with foliate ornament on gold ground.
Margins:
1) Medallion surrounded by rays, enclosing YHS with crossed H.
2) Medallion enclosing bust of Christ with crossed nimbus amid rays.
3) Medallion enclosing escutcheon decorated with heraldry of Carlo Pallavicino (checky gules and argent on a chief or an eagle sable) surmounted by miter with infulae, and flanked by crozier and crossed keys, and by the initials C and P.
Margins decorated with foliate ornament inhabited by back turned nude youth wearing cap grasping foliage; nude youth holding scull of horse (?) with right hand and grasping neck of bird, possibly stork, with left hand; winged head or mask; fish flanking vase.