Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Germany, possibly Bamberg, 1204-1219
MS M.739 fol. 17v

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Zone 1:
1) Saul: Battle in Mount Gilboa, and Saul: Death -- Two groups of Israelites and Philistines, wearing helmets and coats of mail, are armed with shields, spears, and swords. One with sword strikes falling Jonathan, and another pierces breast of soldier with sword. On Mount Gilboa are fallen Saul and his armor bearer wearing helmets and coats of mail; one is beheaded.
Scene caption, inscribed DIZ SINT DIE BERGE GELBOE DA UFFE ERSLAGEN WART SAUL VN(DE) SIN SUN IONATHAS.
Zone 2:
2) David and Bathsheba: Bathsheba bathing, and David and Bathsheba: in Bed -- Bathsheba washes feet in stream, approached by messenger with left hand raised. David, crowned, looks through window of tower. To right, David and Bathsheba embrace in draped four-post bed, inside building.
Scene caption, inscribed DIZ IST URIAS WIB BERSABE BI DER GEWAN D(ER) KUNIG DAUID. DEN KVNIG SALOMONEN.
Zone 3:
3) David: rebuked by Nathan -- David, crowned, stands with scroll in left hand and raises right hand toward Nathan, with scroll in left hand and right forefinger raised toward the king.
Scene caption, inscribed HIE CHUMET DER PROPHETA ZU DAUID VNDE BEREFFET IN DURCH VRIAS.
4) David: repentant -- Inside building, David, crowned, sits on cushioned bench with footstool, as scribe with knife in left hand and pen in right hand, writing on parchment on lectern equipped with inkhorn.
Scene caption, inscribed HIEZ ERSLAN VNDE IM SIN WIB NAM. DO ROV EZ IN SERE VNDE SCREIF, MISERERE MEI DEUS.