Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, perhaps Tours, ca. 1500
MS M.12 fol. 23v

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Innocents: Mourning Mothers -- Woman, wearing turban-like headdress, cradling bleeding nude infant, kneels before Herod the Great (?), wearing hat, with purse at waist, standing with arms crossed on breast. In background stand two helmeted soldiers, one holding raised sword in right hand. Behind Herod is man wearing hat. Scene in room with marble paneled walls, and domed ceiling, with pseudo-inscription at base of dome.
Margins with foliate ornament. In left margin is fantastic animal resembling bird, with head thrown back and mouth open (howling ?); in lower margin is winged fantastic animal.