Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Provence, ca. 1440-1450
MS M.358 fol. 1r

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Month, Occupation: January -- Man, seated on bench, raises left leg toward fire burning in fireplace and turns toward standing man. Stool, bench, and open door in background.
Scene set in room with patterned floor and timbered ceiling, all within decorated medallion in lower margin (bas-de-page).
In upper margin, fox, standing on hind legs, holds head of goat, sitting on bench, holding bowl in front hooves.
In left margin, goat, standing on hind legs, aims crossbow, held in fore legs, at upper margin.
In right margin, horse rides crawling man, nude, who has been saddled and bridled (similar reversed image on verso).
All figures set within foliate border with flowers and acanthus leaves, surrounding calendar.