Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Netherlands, ca. 1520
MS M.74 fol. 211v

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Scene, Liturgical: celebrating Mass – Tonsured priest, wearing vestments, with left hand holds paten of wafers and with right hand places the wafer into mouth of kneeling man, with both hands holding cloth and the other half held by kneeling tonsured acolyte, group of three kneeling men and one nun to left. All before draped altar on which is open book with pseudo-inscriptions, chalice, and liturgical vessels, arched retable depicting Virgin Mary, nimbed, crowned, holding Christ Child, and praying figure in niches. In background, youthful male pushes back curtain. Scene in church interior. Margins decorated with diapered border with decorative floreate infilling. Miniature facing the beginning of Prayers said before Mass.