Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Paris, 1480-1500
MS M.179 fol. 76v

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Miniature and left margin:
Shepherds: Annunciation -- Shepherd, wearing hat, holding pedum with left hand, stands amid sheep, indicating with right hand half-figures of three angels in rayed arc of Heaven holding scroll inscribed PUER [NATUS] EST NOBIS ET FILIUS [DATUS EST] NOBIS. With this shepherd in grassy area enclosed by wattle fence are shepherdess, wearing headdress, seated with lamb on lap, and two shepherds, wearing hats, seated, one holding pedum and shading his eyes, both looking up toward the angels. In background is shepherd's hut on wheels (covered wagon).
The shepherdess sits next to footbridge crossing stream with duck. At other end of bridge, in frame in left margin, another shepherd, holding pedum with left hand, shielding eyes with right hand stands next to two sheep, looking up toward the three angels.
Outside of wattle fence are two more shepherds, one kneeling, and the other, holding pedum, standing amid sheep, both shielding eyes and looking up toward the three angels; a third shepherd, wearing hat, holding pedum with right hand, looking toward the three angels is at left in frame in left margin.
Lower margin:
At far left, shepherd, wearing hat, carrying bagpipe under right arm, raising left hand, looks up toward the three angels. He walks with three sheep toward another shepherdess seated on ground, placing crown of flowers (?) on head of another shepherd. He kneels before her on one knee, extending his right hand and holding pedum in left hand. Two sheep are behind him. In background is body of water and city.