Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Bible
Italy, Padua, ca. 1287-1300
MS M.436 fol. 4r

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Initial:
1) Creation Scene: 1st Day -- God, nimbed, seated, raising right hand in blessing, looks toward blue disk, representing light and darkness, with dark colored band held in left hand.
2) Creation Scene: 2nd Day -- God, nimbed, seated, raising right hand in blessing, looking toward body of water.
3) Creation Scene: 3rd Day -- God, nimbed, seated, extending right hand in blessing, looking toward tree growing in earth.
4) Creation Scene: 4th Day -- God, nimbed, seated, raising right hand in blessing, looking up toward sun and moon; tree at right.
5) Creation Scene: 6th Day -- God, nimbed, seated, raising right hand in blessing, looking toward animals and possibly bird.
6) Eve: Creation -- God, nimbed, seated, grasps head of Eve, possibly emerging from side of Adam, both nude.
7) Creation Scene: God resting -- God, nimbed, raising right hand, and holding book with left hand is seated flanked by two trees.
Scenes with gold backgrounds, enclosed in vine scroll medallions, within frame of initial I, the bottom medallion flanked by two addorsed birds. Initial supported by crouching, back-turned man.
Margin, upper:
Medallion with vine scroll ornament, flanked by two medallions each enclosing angel, the left medallionen flanked by two addorsed birds.
Margin, left:
Foliate ornament, with gold balls, inhabited by bird.
Margin, right:
Foliate ornament supported by seated male figure, his feet resting on medallion of vine scroll.
Margin, lower:
1) Adam and Eve: Fall of Man -- Enclosed in medallion, tree, entwined with serpent, flanked by nude Adam, holding left hand to face, and by nude Eve, holding apple (?) in right hand at mouth.
2) God, nimbed, seated, extending right hand toward right enclosed by lozenge (diamond) flanked, by two angels.
3) Adam and Eve: Expulsion -- Angel, nimbed, holding sword with right hand, placing left hand on shoulder of Adam, holding leaf over genitals with left hand, standing next to Eve, holding leaf over genitals with right hand and raising left hand.
Lower margin decorated with foliate ornament and inhabited by lion.
Beginning of Genesis.