Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter
England, East Anglia or London, ca. 1300-1310
MS M.302 fol. 1v

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In four compartments:
1) Noah: entering Ark, and Noah: Deluge -- Heads of five birds, including cock, and five animals, including sheep, rabbit, and ass, are visible in upper and lower structures within ark decorated with animal heads. Noah, standing in ark, raises left hand and grasps right hand of Wife of Noah, wearing headress and snood, with winged devil on her back, both partially submerged in waters.
Below ark, two bodies and several heads are submerged in waters (deluge). Winged, horned devil emerges from hole in bottom of ark.
2) Abraham: communicating with God (told to count the stars, Genesis 15:5-7) -- Abraham, wearing hat and vair-lined mantle, raising left hand, kneels before Christ-Logos, decorated crossed nimbus, emerging from clouds. He indicates with His right hand six stars within clouds.
3) Joachim and Anna: Marriage -- High priest, wearing miter and vestments (bishop), hands raised, is flanked by Joachim, wearing hat, and Anna. Heads inclined, they join right hands.
4) Virgin Mary: Birth -- Anna, pearled nimbus, reclines on draped bed, extending infant Virgin, veiled, swaddled, to midwife wearing snood.
Scenes with patterned backgrounds and within architectural frames decorated with rosettes.