Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Rouen, ca. 1480
MS M.131 fol. 25r

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Miniature:
Virgin Mary: Annunciation -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, holding open book, kneels at draped prie-dieu, opposite archangel Gabriel, holding, with right hand, scroll inscribed AUE MARIA PLENA, indicating scroll with left hand. Between them, on floor is vase of flowers. Behind Virgin Mary is canopied bed with draperies. Above, outside frame of miniature, within arc of Heaven, is bust of God, nimbed, raising right hand. Dove descends on rays emerging from arc of Heaven.
Scene in room with decorated wall, windows, and tile floor, below ceiling supported by columns, and decorated with architectural elements and statues in niches with canopies, one surmounted by cross.
Left margin:
Prophet, wearing hat, holding scroll, standing before cloth of honor in niche with architectural canopy.
Right margin:
1) Joachim and Anna: at Golden Gate -- Joachim, wearing pointed hat, and Anna, nimbed and wearing wimpled veil, embrace in front of gate with portcullis, flanked by two towers, each pierced with arrow slits and decorated with two statues standing on corbels.
2) Virgin Mary: Birth -- Anna, nimbed and veiled, semi-reclines in draped canopy bed, holding open book. At foot of bed, sit Joachim, wearing fur lined hat, holding staff with right hand, and midwife, holding on her lap, nude infant Virgin Mary, nimbed, with basin of water on floor at feet of midwife. To right of bed is draped chest on which is covered pitcher.
Scene in room with decorated wall, windows, and tile floor.
Lower margin, right to left:
1) Virgin Mary: Presentation -- Anna, nimbed and wearing wimpled veil, with joined hands, stands next to, and looks toward Joachim, wearing fur-lined hat. He looks toward Anna, raising left hand and extends right hand toward young Virgin Mary, kneeling at top of steps into church. Standing in doorway, high priest, nimbed, possibly wearing miter, extends right hand to Virgin Mary. Exterior of church decorated with statues standing on columns.
2) Virgin Mary: Espousal -- High Priest, nimbed, wearing miter, grasps left hand of Joseph the Carpenter and right hand of Virgin Mary, nimbed. Joseph holds flowering rod in right hand. At left are three men, wearing hats, one fur lined; all hold rods. At right is acolyte and three women, two wearing turban type of headdress.