Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Netherlands, ca. 1520
MS M.74 fol. 46r

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Initial D enclosing stem of flowers at beginning of Prime in Hours of the Virgin. Margins decorated with borders of strewn flowers, including daisy, viola, lily, iris, forget-me-not, and strawberry, and inhabited by dragonfly and moth. In lower margin, monkey, wearing hat and mantle, with right hand extending bowl and with left hand on crutch, looking back toward female ape, wearing hat, with right hand holding crutch and with right foot in splint, leading reins of bridled ass; in its woven saddle bags are two groups of three monkeys.