Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Breviary
Belgium, Bruges, ca. 1500
MS M.52 fol. 257v

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David: communicating with God -- God, raising right hand from which rays of light emanate, appears in arc of heaven above David, wearing mantle, kneeling beside harp on ground, hands raised, before altar. In background, figures, some mounted on horseback, traverse street lined with buildings.
Scene framed by historiated border with continuous landscape in which the following scenes occur:
1) David: fetched by Messenger -- In top left corner, on rocky outcropping, messenger, carrying staff, and Jesse approach David, tending flock of sheep.
2) David: slaying Bear -- Opposite, in upper right border, David slays bear with sword.
3) David: arming himself before Saul -- Saul, with two attendants, places breastplate of armor on David.
4) David: slinging at Goliath -- David swings slingshot above head towards Goliath, wearing armor, holding sword in left hand.
Below, (David: beheading Goliath) David raises sword above slain Goliath lying on ground.
5) David: Glorification -- David, holding object (obscured by abrasion) followed by Saul, mounted on horseback, with attendant, and entourage of mounted soldiers, advances toward four women. Three women play musical instruments. The first woman plays pipe, second woman plays harp, third woman plays lute. Women stand outside city gates behind which are second group of women.