Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Saint-Omer, between 1320 and 1329
MS M.754 fol. 45v

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Christ: Scene -- King as soldier wearing crown, chain mail, surcoat, and ailettes of decorated heraldry, armed with sword and shield of decorated heraldry, raising joined hands toward cross-inscribed wafer extended by Christ, cross-nimbed.
Scene against gold diapered background, beneath cinquefoil arch with pinnacles and roof of building with two waterspouts of animal heads, in initial D with ascender of headless hybrid animal, within diapered panel.
Beginning of first versicle of None of Hours of the Holy Sacrament.
Initial O of Hymn, O salutaris hostia, enclosing bust of veiled nun or woman.
Margins decorated with foliate stems, balls, and bottom bar of scrolling foliage.
Margin, upper, inhabited by female head wearing snood with fillet.
Margin, left, inhabited by hybrid man wearing cap, and nude man standing on and balancing head on leaf ornament of the initial (acrobat).
Margin, lower, inhabited by hybrid man blowing horn, two hybrid men of heads and hoofed legs, and nude man kneeling, grasping branch.
Margin, right, inhabited by female donor (donee?), wearing veiled headdress and mantle, kneeling with right hand raised and open book in left hand.