Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, perhaps in Paris or northeastern France, ca. 1465
MS M.1003 fol. 153v

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Miniature:
Christ: Miracle of raising Lazarus -- Lazarus, nude, draped with shroud, rises from grave, his bound hands being loosed by man, nimbed. At left are three women, including Mary and Martha, all nimbed and veiled, one holding mantle to nose, with men in background. At right, Christ, cross-nimbed, right hand raised in blessing, stands beside grave in front of three men wearing hats, two indicating Lazarus, one with purse at waist. Tools lie on ground near grave, including shovel and mattock. Scene in landscape with building and trees in background.
Medallions in margins, from bottom to top:
1) Lazarus: Scene, Death -- Lazarus, reclines in draped, canopied bed, his head on pillow. Above his head hangs mirror. Beside bed are: cleric, tonsured, wearing cope, raising aspergil in right hand; woman, nimbed, holding lighted candle with joined hands; and two men, one with joined hands. At foot of bed is another man, with joined hands. Ointment jar (?) rests on bed. Scene in room with tiled floor, and chair next to bed.
2) Scene, Liturgical: Obsequies -- Bier is draped with cross-inscribed (?) pall, with candlesticks at three corners and processional cross at left end. At left is altar, draped, on which is candle stick, chalice and open book, behind which is retable and above which is canopy. Behind bier stand three mourners, hooded. At right two clerics, tonsured, wearing copes, stand at lectern, one resting right hand on open book on lectern.
3) Scene, Liturgical: Burial -- Body, wrapped in shroud, either sewn or cross-inscribed, is lowered into grave by two men. Shovel lies on ground next to grave. Behind them, stand priest, tonsured, wearing cope, holding open book in right hand, flanked by three mourners, hooded, wearing black, and by acolyte (?) carrying processional cross, another cleric, tonsured, and man wearing hat, resting right hand on left shoulder of cleric.
Margins decorated with floreate ornament including strawberry, and inhabited by birds, including owl, and bird chasing insect, possibly fly.