Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter-Hours of Guiluys de Boisleux
France, Arras, after 1246
MS M.730 fol. 15v

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1) Christ: Crucifixion -- Christ, cross-nimbed, eyes closed, head inclined to right, in loin cloth, is affixed with three nails to cross, flanked by Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, with draped hands to face in profile, and Longinus, wearing pointed hat, with left hand raised toward his eye and right hand extending spear toward His side, and by Stephaton, dark-faced, wearing cap, extending sponge on reed toward His face, and Evangelist John, nimbed, with hand raised.
2) Christ: Deposition -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, embraces right arm of Christ, cross-nimbed, in loin cloth, with His torso supported on shoulder of and His left arm grasped by Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus kneels partly, with hammer in raised right hand and with pincers in left hand extracting nail from crossed feet of the Christ on cross, behind which is man, wearing cap, standing on ladder, grasping His left hand.
3) Christ: Entombment -- Joseph of Arimathea with vessel anoints torso of Christ, cross-nimbed, in sarcophagus with architectural decoration. He is supported by Nicodemus or man holding vessel, and wrapped in shroud by Nicodemus or man, all before two nimbed, veiled Holy Women, including Virgin Mary, one raising hands to face, and the other raising hands to veil partially covering her face, and Mary Magdalen, nimbed, pulling hair.
4) Holy Women: at Sepulcher -- Nimbed angel sits on sarcophagus, with right hand pointing to garment draped over the edge, before three Holy Women, two nimbed and veiled, all holding ointment jars; in foreground, two soldiers, in chain mail, one armed with sword in scabbard, and the other armed with shield decorated with heraldry (? argent chevrons gules), sleep. Scene beneath lamp hanging from arcade of architectural setting.
Scenes 1 and 4 with gold diapered and punched backgrounds, and scenes 2 and 3 with blue backgrounds, within decorated frames.