Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Compilatio historiarum / Giovanni, da Udine
Switzerland, Basel, ca. 1476
MS M.158 fol. 31r

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Miniature, upper left: 1) David: slaying Bear and David: slaying Lion -- David, wearing crown, raises clubs in both hands, before bear, head turned back and lion, its mouth open. Scene on hillock with tree. Miniature, lower left: 2) Christ: Miracle of Cana -- Christ, cross-nimbed, lowers left hand toward draped table on which are cups, knives, loaves, and plate with meat. He is beside Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, crossing right hand on breast, beside groom and bride, wearing floral wreaths, gesturing. In foreground, man crouches and gestures toward six pitchers on ground, two other men flank the table and gesture. Miniature, upper right: 3) Christ: teaching -- Group of seven men, most wearing headgear, and veiled women, kneel or sit before Christ, cross-nimbed, gesturing, on tiled floor in room with vaulted ceiling. Miniature, lower right: 4) Christ: Miracle of healing -- Veiled woman and bearded man, with left hand raised accompany nimbed apostle, tonsured and bearded, possibly Apostle Peter, who is beside Christ, cross-nimbed, raising right hand in blessing and lowering left hand to bed, on which reclines bearded man, head on pillow, bare-breasted, partly beneath blanket. In background, veiled woman stands with joined hands raised; all in bedroom with vaulted ceiling and tiled floor. Miniatures for Richel’s Spiegel der Menschlichen Behältnis (Basel: 1476) with biblical quotes, commentary and abbreviated extracts, in German, of Chapters 13 (David: slaying Bear and David: slaying Lion) and 14 in the Speculum Humanae Salvationis.