Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

La forma el modo come se debbeno ordinare e disporre quelle persone che deno andare a confortare e aconsolare le persone iudicate a morte
Italy, Ferrara or Bologna, ca. 1470
MS M.188 fol. 5r

See more information »

In foliate initial P, Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled, is seated on throne before cloth of honor. With her right hand she holds right shoulder of nude Christ Child, crossed nimbus, sitting on her right knee. With her left hand she holds rod with bird on end.
Margin, upper:
Confraternity, Compagnia dello Spedale de la Morte: Visiting condemned Man -- At left, condemned man, barefoot, wearing short sleeveless tunic, faces man, wearing black hat and sleeveless coat, raising a tablet with right hand. Behind them are three confraternity members wearing white hoods and robes.
Scene is in doorway of brick building, the lintel supported by two marble columns with foliate capitals. To left of doorway, stands soldier wearing helmet with wings, resting right hand on hilt of sheathed sword at his waist, holding club (?) with left hand.
At right, separated by column surmounted by foliate capital with winged head, is city wall and gate open to buildings. On two pilasters abutting gate are niches containing statues of figure holding spear and of bishop (?), wearing miter and holding crozier. Approaching gate is horseman, only bust of man and head of bridled horse visible.
In arcading of loggia atop the city wall, man looks up toward another man, wearing hat, behind desk on which is scroll (?), directly over the city gate. Man, wearing hat, holding trumpet with banner stands next to desk. At right, confraternity member, wearing white hood and robe holds tablet before condemned man, wearing short sleevless tunic, his arms bound behind him around column. On other side of column is man wearing hat, looking toward another confraternity member wearing white robe and hood.
Margin, lower:
Confraternity, Compagnia dello Spedale de la Morte: Accompanying condemned Man -- Procession of soldier wearing helmet and carrying spear and shield; four men, wearing hats, one with feather and the other with plume, two with swords, one with saber, all carrying spear and one carrying shield; two horseman astride caparisoned horses, one wearing helmet and carrying bannered lance, and the other wearing hat with sword at waist.
At end of procession, man wearing black hat and sleeveless coat, flanked by two confraternity members wearing white hoods and robes, walk backwards. One of the men carries tablet, holding it before face of condemned man, wearing sleeveless blue tunic, his arms bound behind him and held by man wearing hat.
Margins decorated with floreate ornament, vases, medallion enclosing bust of man wearing olive wreath, and medallion enclosing heraldry of Castelli family (azure, a castle or, an Angevin label in chief).