Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France or Belgium, 1425-1435
MS M.850 fol. 47r

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Innocents: Massacre -- Herod the Great, wearing crown with hat, holding fleur-de-lis scepter with left hand, sits beneath canopy. He is looking toward soldier kneeling before him, holding bleeding, headless body of infant with right hand and with left hand, upturned sword on which is impaled head of infant, eyes open. Behind him stands woman, veiled with wimple, head back, mouth open, clasping hands on breast.
Background of gold vine scroll above dado in miniature. Miniature and text framed on three sides by rectilinear bars of gold, red and blue. Margins decorated with a border of vine scroll.