Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Bible
France, between 1225 and 1250
MS M.65 fol. 4r

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Within initial I, each enclosed in gold quatrefoil: 1) Creation Scene -- Christ-Logos, crossed nimbus, right hand raised in blessing, holding book with left hand, seated on bench. 2) Creation Scene: 1st Day (?) -- Christ-Logos, crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing over tripartite globe held with left hand. 3) Creation Scene: 2nd Day -- Christ-Logos, raising right hand in blessing over disk showing separation of sky and waters, held with left hand. 4) Creation Scene: 5th Day -- At left, heads of two birds and one animal looking toward Christ-Logos, crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing, holding object with left hand. 5) Creation Scene -- Christ-Logos, crossed nimbus, standing, holding round object with right hand, and disk with left hand. 6) Creation Scene: 5th Day -- At left, heads of four birds looking toward Christ-Logos, raising right hand, holding fish (?) with left hand. 7) Eve: Creation -- Christ-Logos, crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing above head of Eve, emerging from behind Adam, nude, eyes closed, resting head on right hand, reclining on ground. Initial surmounted by three cupolas. Winged fantastic animals, one with ball in mouth, flank bottom quatrefoil in the initial. Face in upper margin. Christ: Crucifixion -- In lower margin Christ, crossed nimbus, eyes closed, head inclined, bleeding from wounds, wearing long loin cloth, is affixed to cross with three nails. He is flanked above by sun and moon. Below are Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled, hands crossed on breast, looking toward Him, and Evangelist John, nimbed, holding book with both hands. Beginning of Genesis. Pen-flourished initial I.