Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Germany, possibly Bamberg, 1204-1219
MS M.739 fol. 9v

See more information »

Zone 1:
1) Adam and Eve: at Labor -- Eve, clothed, wearing fillet, sits on rock, spinning with spindle and whorl, beside Adam, in tunic, raising mattock before tree.
Scene caption, inscribed HIE SPINNET. ADAM RODET.
2) Cain and Abel: bringing Offerings -- Hand of God emerges from clouds toward Abel raising lamb in draped hands, beside Cain, wearing conical hat, raising sheaf of wheat.
Scene caption, inscribed ABEL OPFERT EIN LAMB. CAIN EINE GARUE.
Zone 2:
3) Cain: killing Abel -- Cain, wearing conical hat, with club strikes head of Abel, collapsing.
Scene caption, inscribed CAIN SLET SINEN BR(O)UDER ABEL.
4) Cain: cursed -- Cain, wearing conical hat, holds scroll inscribed from Genesis 4:9, SOL ICH SIN HU(O)T SIN, and God, nimbed, holds scroll inscribed from Genesis 4:9, CAIN WA IST DIN B[RUDER], and raises left forefinger.
Scene caption, inscribed GOT FRAGET CAIN WA SIN BR(O)UDER SI.