Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Historien Bibel
Germany, between 1375 and 1400
MS M.268 fol. 24v

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Upper half: Augustus: Prophecy of Sibyl -- At left, flanked by two groups of figurres, Augustus, inscribed REX OCTAUIANUS, crowned, holds in left hand scepter, and in raises right forefinger indicating above bust of Virgin Mary and nude Christ Child in rayed sun. At right, crenellated city of Rome, inscribed ROME, enclosing buildings, some cross-surmounted, and four men, two wearing headgear, looking up toward crown suspended in sky; another man, appearing in arched doorway of crenellated wall. Lower half: Virgin Mary: Visitation -- At left, Elizabeth and Virgin Mary, both veiled with wimples, embracing. From chapter 1 of Luke. Virgin Mary: doubted, Testing with Water, Joseph the Carpenter: Testing with Water -- In center, Joseph the Carpenter, inscribed JOSEPH, wearing hat, extending vessel toward Virgin Mary, inscribed MARIA, nimbed, seated on chair. From the Apocrypha, Protevangelium of James 16. Christ: Nativity and Shepherds: Annunciation -- At right, Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled with wimple, reclining on straw mattress, with her head propped on her right hand. In foreground, Joseph the Carpenter, wearing hat, partly kneeling, with left hand pouring from jug into basin in which is standing Christ Child, cross-nimbed, nude, with right hand raised and with left arm and side supported by midwife, veiled with wimple, seated on ground. Scene beneath shed, from a post is suspended kettle, over fire (?), and in background are heads of ass and ox. In background right, shepherd, wearing purse, raising left hand to hat and with right hand holding pedum looks up toward half figure of angel, emerging from cloud, with right hand extended; herd of three sheep and possibly one goat in landscape.