Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter-Hours
Belgium, Liège, ca. 1280s
MS M.183 fol. 10v

See more information »

Scenes in four concave hexagons:
1) Shepherds: Annunciation -- Nimbed angel, holding scroll, emerges from cloud toward one of two shepherds, holding pedum; the other, wearing cap, plays bagpipe; flock of three sheep on hillock.
2) Magi: Adoration -- Among three Magi, two, crowned, stand; the youngest magus, beardless, raises right hand and holds gift in left hand; the middle-aged with right hand points to star of Bethlehem above; the eldest with crown or book in left hand kneels, extending vessel of coins toward Christ Child, cross-nimbed, raising right hand and standing on lap of Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, seated on bench.
3) Innocents: Massacre -- Herod the Great, crowned, sits on bench, holding rod in left hand and raising right hand toward soldier, wearing chain mail, with right hand raising sword above swaddled infant in left hand, beside mother seizing the soldier's head.
4) Christ: Flight into Egypt -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, holding swaddled, cross-nimbed Christ Child, sits sideways on ass following Joseph the Carpenter, wearing pointed cap, and carrying draped staff over right shoulder.
Oval medallion in center:
5) Male musician, seated on bench, blows trumpet.
Half medallions at top and bottom:
6) Two hybrid bald men, one with hand-tail holding sword, and the other holding spear.
Scenes in six medallions of decorated frame, reading from left to right top to bottom:
7) Martin of Tours: dividing Cloak -- Martin, nimbed, mounted on saddled white horse, divides his vair-lined mantle with sword before bare-chested beggar wearing trousers and mantle.
8) Servatius of Tongres: Scene, protected by Eagle -- Servatius, nimbed, wearing bishop's miter and vestments, holds two keys in right hand and reclines on ground below flying eagle shielding him from sun.
9) Nicholas of Myra: Scene, aiding Dowerless Maidens -- Father reclines asleep on draped mattress before three daughters, one holding object, and the foremost receiving dowry extended through window of tower by right hand of Nicholas, nimbed, wearing bishop's miter and vestments, holding dowry in left hand.
10) Giles of Provence: Scene, shielding Doe -- At mouth of cave beneath branches, Giles, wearing hooded monk's habit, sits with left hand raised and with right hand on doe, before man with bow shooting arrow, piercing Giles' right leg.
11) Leonard of Limoges: Scene, Homage of Prisoners -- Leonard, nimbed, wearing priest's vestments with crozier in left hand, stands holding manacles. He is flanked by male prisoner kneeling with manacled joined hands raised and by veiled woman kneeling and holding object of votive candle (?).
12) Denis of Paris: Last Sacrament -- Nimbed angel stands beside Christ, cross-nimbed, with right hand extending wafer through grated portal of prison toward Denis, wearing bishop's miter and vestments.
Miniature on verso facing Walloon French poem on recto (Sinclair, no. IX)