Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Saint-Omer, between 1320 and 1329
MS M.754 fol. 19v

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Apostle Philip, or Apostle Thomas, nimbed, standing, with right hand raised, holding spear in left hand, and looking toward cross-nimbed dove of Holy Ghost emerging from clouds.
Figure against gold diapered background, in decorated initial D of interlace with ascender of headless hybrid animal, beneath architectural frame of double trefoil gable arches, beneath three windows of twin lancets surmounted by quatrefoil, with pinnacles decorated with two waterspouts of animal heads, all on diapered panel.
Beginning of second versicle of Compline of Long Hours of the Holy Spirit.
Margins decorated with curvilinear foliate stems, balls, and bottom bar of scrolling foliage, with two animal heads.
Margin, left, inhabited by peacock, and male musician blowing horn.
Margin, lower, inhabited by nude man wearing large hat; youth, wearing bicolored tunic, bowling (two balls); head of man wearing pointed hat; woman, wearing fillet, standing, with right hand raising hat containing object or breast.
Margin, right, inhabited by female donor (donee?), wearing veiled headdress, with joined hands raised, kneeling and bending forward on foliate stem.