Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, ca. 1440
MS M.157 fol. 180r

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Innocents: Massacre -- King Herod, wearing crown and holding scimitar in both hands, stands in window in builduing, in front of which mother, veiled, arms extended, reclines on ground. On her reclines nude child, left hand of which is grasped by soldier, raising scimitar in right hand. Behind them, soldier raises knife above mother and child (heads only visible). Scene in landscape setting.
Margins decorated with floreate border.