Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
England, ca. 1440-1450
MS G.9 fol. 75r

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David: in Prayer -- David, crowned, hands joined and raised, with small sack hanging from girdle, kneels on one knee next to harp, looking up toward bust of Christ-Logos, cross nimbed, right hand raised in blessing, in rayed arc of Heaven. Scene in hilly landscape with trees and two walking figures; city and windmill in background.
Margins decorated with border of foliate and floreate ornament, inhabited by: bird with fly in beak; head of man, his lip bitten by snake (?); nude woman, wearing foliate headdress, crouching on one knee; stork (?); finches; two confronted heads, emerging from leaves; hybrid man; parrot; fly; bird.