Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Italy, probably Milan, ca. 1470
MS M.454 fol. 200r

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Christ: Circumcision -- Nude Christ Child, nimbed, reclines amid rays on draped altar, flanked by Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled, holding his head and right shoulder, and by Simeon, nimbed, grasping genitalia of Christ with left hand and applying knife with right hand. Altar cloth is inscribed IHS [...]R IPS DO[...] and YHS. At left are Joseph the Carpenter, nimbed, wearing hood, and holding two doves on draped right hand, and woman. At right is man holding right hand to head. Lamp hangs above the altar.
Scene shown through arch of church with vaulted ceiling.
Profile of bust of woman, nimbed, possibly Mary Magdalen, amid rays in initial D inscribed S MARIA MAGDA[LENA].
Margins decorated with border of floreate ornament and inscribed with R ET C, and the letters TA in loop of the R and RA within the C.