Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Italy, Florence, between 1490 and 1499
MS M.14 fol. 130v

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Legend, Three Living and Dead -- Helmeted soldiers with spears and halberds, including groom with two horses, stand behind three crowned kings. Beside the kings kneels nimbed prophet, holding staff, pointing with right hand toward open grave in which are three crowned skeletons, one rising and raising right hand toward the living kings. Two dogs growl at skeletons. In background is landscape with distant city.
In margins are skulls amid foliate ornament. In left margin within lozenge is nimbed woman with her head on her left hand. Above and below the lozenge are pairs of cherubs. In upper margin within lozenge flanked and held by two cherubs is skull. In right margin, within lozenge is nimbed woman. Above the lozenge is a seated cherub. In lower margin, within lozenge is nimbed woman with right hand raised and holding skull in left hand. The lozenge is flanked and held by two cherubs.