Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Bible
England, Oxford, ca. 1220
MS M.791 fol. 333v

See more information »

1) Christ: Baptism -- John Baptist, raising right hand, with left hand, touches right shoulder of Christ, cross-nimbed, nude, raising right hand, standing in Jordan. To right, angel with pearled nimbus, emerging from cloud, holds garment in extended hands.
2) Evangelist Luke, with decorated nimbus, tonsured, is seated on bench on which is inkpot into which he is dipping pen with right hand; with left hand he holds knife resting on book on lectern. Bust of symbol, ox, emerges from side of initial.
Scenes against background of gold within initial Q partially formed by neck of hybrid man with human head and dragon body, and decorated with geometric ornament.
Beginning of Luke