Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Belgium, Bruges, ca. 1460
M.387 fol. 71v

See more information »

Donor, wearing furlined garment, hat hanging on right shoulder, purse and knife on belt at waist, kneels at draped prie-dieu on which is open girdle book. Angel standing opposite extends right hand to him, below scroll inscribed SI UIS UITAM I(N)GREDI SERUA MA(N)DATA (Matthew 19:17, variant). Above them, half figure of God, crossed nimbus, raising right hand in blessing, holding tripartite globe with draped left hand appears amid rays in cloud edged arc of Heaven. He is flanked by two angels, one playing lute, the other playing harp.
Interior scene with doorway opening to view of buildings.
Margins decorated with floreate border inhabited by bird. Scroll inscribed PRESERUA ET CUSTODI ME DIE AC NOCTE QUE MOMENTIS in left margin; in lower margin, scroll inscribed EGO MITTAM ANGELU(M) DICIT D(E)US QUI PRECEDAT TE ET CUSTODIAT TE IN UIA(M) EXODI XXIII (Exodus 23:20)