Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Paris, ca. 1418
MS M.919 fol. 23r

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Jesse: Tree -- Jesse, crowned, right hand to face, left hand on left knee, reclines on draped bed, his head on two pillows. Rush mat is on floor. Tree emerging from his lower abdomen, supports Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled. She stands enclosed in foliate mandorla, holding nude (?) Christ Child, crossed nimbus, right arm extended to her neck. They are flanked by seven kings, crowned, amid foliage, each playing musical instrument, including recorder, lute, fiddle, harp, gittern, psaltery, and portative organ.
Initial L enclosing man wearing turban type of headdress, raising right hand, looking up toward the miniature.
Right margin decorated with border of floreate ornament inhabited by: man emerging from foliage, wearing Saracen knotted headdress, indicating with right hand the Jesse Tree, and holding with left hand scroll inscribed LIBER GENERACIONIS (Matthew 1:1); fantastic bird; David, crowned, emerging from flower, playing harp.
Lower margin decorated with border of floreate ornament inhabited by: wild man emerging from foliage, raising pedum with right hand, looking toward elephant carrying on its back, vessel with spout, from which grows flowering plant.