Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Cuerden psalter
England, Oxford, ca. 1270
MS M.756 fol. 8r

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Zone 1:
1) Christ: Crucifixion, and Christ: Crucifixion, nailed to Cross -- Christ, cross-nimbed, eyes closed, head inclined, wearing long loin cloth, blood flowing from wounds, is affixed with three nails to green cross, flanked at left by Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, with clasped hands raised, and Longinus the Soldier, wearing pointed cap, with spear piercing His side, and at right by Stephaton with right hand extending sponge on reed toward His face and holding bucket in left hand, and Evangelist John, nimbed, with right hand raised to face and book in left hand, and at foot of the cross, man wearing cap and apron, kneeling,with right hand raising hammer above His nailed feet.
Scene beneath arcade of three trefoil arches.
2) Christ: Deposition -- Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing long loin cloth, with His feet attached with one nail to green cross, His body supported by Joseph of Arimathea, wearing pointed cap, mounting ladder, and His arms grasped by Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, and Evangelist John, nimbed, both flanking Him; in foreground, Nicodemus, wearing cap and apron, kneels with hammer in raised right hand, in front of the Evangelist and beside ladder placed against the cross, above which are sun and moon partially obscured by clouds.
Scene beneath trefoil arch.
Zone 2:
3) Christ: Resurrection -- Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing partly draped mantle, showing wounds in side and raised hands, steps over diagonally placed lid and sarcophagus, flanked by two angels with joined hands raised emerging from clouds at sides; in foreground, three soldiers, wearing chain mail, two asleep and one awakened, all recline on shields.
Scene beneath arcade of three arches.
4) Holy Women: at Sepulcher -- Three veiled Holy Women, the foremost with left hand raised, all hold vessels in right hands behind sarcophagus, on which is nimbed angel, seated on lid, with right hand indicating grave cloth draped over side of the sarcophagus; in foreground, three soldiers, wearing chain mail, two asleep and one awakened, all recline on shields.
Scene beneath arcade of three trefoil arches.
Zone 3:
5) Christ: noli me tangere -- Mary Magdalen, nimbed, veiled, kneels, raising hands toward Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing partly draped mantle, showing wounds, with cross-staff in left hand and right hand lowered, both flanking tree.
Scene beneath trefoil arch.
6) Apostle, Thomas: Incredulity -- Five apostles, two with hands raised, one holding book, all stand beside Apostle Thomas (tonsured) partly kneeling, raising right hand to wound in right side of Christ, cross-nimbed, wearing partly draped mantle, with right arm raised and cross-staff in left hand.
Scene beneath arcade of three arches.
All six compartments against gold backgrounds within decorated frame.