Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, possibly the Loire River Valley, ca. 1460
MS M.1067 fol. 3r

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Miniature:
John Baptist, nimbed, wearing animal skin with head dangling between feet of John, hold with right hand book on which is Lamb of God, nimbed, holding cross-staff, and indicaties the lamb with left hand.
Scene in landscape with camel (?) and bull, rocky outcrops, and castle or city in distance.
Medallions:
1) John Baptist: Beheading -- Executioner holds saber with both hands, resting on block, on which leans bleeding body of John Baptist. His head is in foreground. At right is castle.
2) Herod Antipas: Feast, Salome delivering Head -- Herod, holding scepter with right hand, resting left hand on table, and his wife wearing hat with veil, are behind draped trestle table on which are plate and food. At end of table, Salome, wearing hat, stands resting her hands on charger on which is head of John Baptist.
Margins decorated with border of floreate ornament including columbine, cornflower, and dianthus and inhabited by monkey; man, wearing hat, raising club in right hand, standing over dragon, holding its right ear with his left hand (Figure, Male: Dragon-Slayer); and couple astride bridled horse.