Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Provence, ca. 1440-1450
MS M.358 fol. 20v

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Virgin Mary and Christ Child -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, stands before cloth of honor held up by three angels. She holds Christ child, cross-nimbed, nude, left hand in mouth. Patterned floor.
Scene against tooled gold background in arched, decorated frame.
In upper margin, man carries two objects, possibly stones, using yoke balanced on shoulders. Hybrid animal (quadruped) faces him.
In left margin, man, with his back in dorsal pose, spins with distaff and spindle.
In lower margin (bas-de-page), two dogs, walking with crutches, one with bandaged paw, approach rabbit, wearing eyeglasses, standing on hind legs, holding up urinal in front paws, as doctor (Scene, Burlesque: Doctoring).
Marginal figures set within foliate border with flowers and acanthus leaves.