Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Compilatio historiarum / Giovanni, da Udine
Switzerland, Basel, ca. 1476
MS M.158 fol. 24v

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Miniature, upper left: 1) Adam and Eve: Fall of Man -- Adam, name inscribed ADAM, raises left hand and extends right hand to fruit in extended right hand of Eve, name inscribed EUA, both nude, flanking fruit tree. Miniature, lower left: 2) Adam and Eve: Expulsion -- Angel, wearing long robe, raises sword with right hand and extends hand toward Eve, looking back, and Adam, both nude, departing to right. Miniature, upper right: 3) Adam and Eve: at Labor -- Beneath shed, Eve, spinning thread between distaff and spindle held in right hand, is seated, suckling nude infant (Cain or Abel) on her lap, and looks toward bearded Adam, wearing short tunic, raising mattock with both hands. Scene in landscape with tree. Miniature, lower right: 4) Noah: in Ark -- Dove, holding twig in beak, descends to ark with mast and sail in which are half-figures of Noah, raising right hand, beside two women, wearing snoods, and one man, wearing hat, all emerging from ark portal beside ram and ox. In foreground, raven tramples hybrid animal, bleeding from wound. Scene on water and shore. Miniatures for Richel’s Spiegel der Menschlichen Behältnis (Basel: 1476) with biblical quotes, commentary and abbreviated extracts of the Latin text of Chapter 2 in the Speculum Humanae Salvationis.