Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Poème sur la Passion
France, Rouen, ca. 1530
MS M.147 fol. 23r

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Christ: Crucifixion, Three Crosses, with Virgin Mary, Evangelist John, Holy Women, and Mary Magdalen -- Christ, cross-nimbed with rays, wearing short loincloth and crown of thorns, bleeding from wounds in head, side, and hands, is affixed with three nails to tau-cross surmounted by titulus inscribed INRI from John 19:19, flanked by two thieves, Dismas, looking up, and Gestas, lowering head, both wearing short loincloths, tied to crosses. Mary Magdalen, nimbed, partly kneels and embraces foot of cross looking up toward Him. In foreground left, Virgin Mary, head inclined, swoons against two Holy Women, all nimbed and wearing wimpled veils, before Evangelist John, nimbed, with joined hands raised, looking up toward the Christ. In foreground right, helmeted soldier is mounted on saddled and bridled horse, accompanied by six other horsemen, including soldiers and men, most helmeted or wearing hats, eleven hold spears, one holds bannered lance, all surround the crosses. Scene in landscape with city in background. Framed text block of 15 lines is suspended from tree branch over path with arbor and foliage in foreground. Trees and foliage forming arch over scene; miniature within architectural frame.