Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Poitiers, ca. 1450
MS M.190 fol. 37r

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Miniature:
Christ: in Gethsemane -- In garden of olive trees inhabited by five rabbits, hopping or nibbling grass, and enclosed by wattled fence, Christ, decorated crossed nimbus, with sweat of blood falling from His eye, kneels with joined hands raised toward cross-nimbed God, who, in arc of heaven, raises His right hand in blessing and holds globe in left hand. In foreground, seven apostles with decorated nimbi sleep.
Christ: Betrayal, Arrival in Garden -- In background, Judas, holding bag of money in right hand, and four soldiers approach wattled fence. One soldier, holding spear, steps over fence. Another soldier holds shield. In the distance is walled city of Jerusalem.
Scenes in naturalistic landscape.
Margins:
Decorative borders composed of naturalistic foliate design of tendrils and bouquets of flowers, including asters, cornflowers, dianthus, and inhabited by birds, including one swan. In top border, monkey holds bouquet of flowers. Right border divided into three registers demarcated by swathes of grass and flowering plants.