Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Langres, ca. 1465
MS G.55 fol. 67v

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Innocents: Massacre -- Woman holding wooden spoon or ladle in raised right hand, reaches left hand up to bleeding swaddled infant held in left hand of soldier, raising saber in right hand. Another woman, kneeling on one knee, extends left hand to face of soldier and with right hand grasps his left arm. He is holding dagger with right hand and, with left hand, bleeding infant by one arm. Another bleeding infant lies on ground at his feet. At right two soldiers and another man (?) stand with Herod the Great, crowned, extending right hand, holding scepter in left hand. Above, sun or star emits rays. Scene in landscape with hills, towers, body of water in distance.
Margins decorated with floreate ornament, inhabited by rabbit. In left margin, monogram of initials A and P linked by love knot.