Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Savoy or Besançon, ca. 1470
MS M.196 fol. 1r

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Miniature:
Virgin Mary: Annunciation -- Below ogee arch, Archangel Gabriel, holding scepter with left hand, kneeling, with right hand indicates Virgin Mary, nimbed. Her right hand on breast, left hand resting on open book on lectern at right, Mary sits before cloth of honor on bench beneath architectural canopy supported by colonnettes. At upper left above crennelated wall, God, crossed nimbus, right hand in gesture of blessing, holding globe with left hand, emits rays on which hovers dove of Holy Ghost above head of Virgin Mary.
Scene in rooms with wooden ceiling, windows, vaulted ceiling, and with tile floor.
Margins:
1) Virgin Mary: Scene, reading -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, seated looking toward book on lap, held with both (?) hands.
2) Virgin Mary: Annunciation, Gabriel sent -- Gabriel, kneeling, holds with right hand, scepter touched by left hand of God, crossed nimbus, seated, right hand raised in blessing.
Margins decorated with border of floreate and foliate ornament inhabited by half figure of man, wearing hat, emerging from flower, holding flower stem in each hand; four birds; and man wearing headgear and bi-color tunic, pruning vine.