Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Poitiers, ca. 1450
MS M.190 fol. 1r

See more information »

Miniature:
Scene, Liturgical: Burial -- In cemetery enclosed by stone wall, two men lower shrouded corpse into grave, surrounded by scattered bones and spade. Priest, tonsured, wearing cope, asperges the body in company of two tonsured deacons. To right, acolyte holds processional cross and situla.
In background, burial cross and cemetery cross on pedestal before charnel house, filled with bones and skulls, and church. On dome of church, pennant displays colors of Amboise family (paly or and gules). At left and right are two groups of hooded mourners, one group inside building to right. At left, male figure, within tower, pulls rope of bell.
Margins:
Decorative borders composed of naturalistic foliate design of tendrils and flowering plants, including blue cornflower, dianthus, and asters. In lower margin, two mourners sit, holding open books, one inscribed DIRIGE DOMINE DEUS (Matins antiphon).