Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Breviary
Belgium, Bruges, ca. 1500
MS M.52 fol. 7r

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Historiated border, containing cama³aeu figures, medallions, and miniature in lower border, frames text.
Top border, in cama³aeu:
Scene, Sports and Games: Piggy-back, Blindman's Buff, and Rounders -- Man rides piggy-back on another man.
Four men follow each other, each with eyes closed and grasping
Group of men play rounders.
Left border, in cama³aeu:
Statue of male figure within illusionistic architectural niche.
Right border, decorated with architectural ornament and figures in cama³aeu, contains six medallions and panel with the following scenes:
1) Virgin Mary: Coronation -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, is crowned by two persons of Trinity flanking dove, seated in throne. Hierarchy of saints appears below.
Feast of All Saints celebrated November 1.
Above medallion, in cama³aeu, two angels. Below, in cama³aeu, man and woman, holding book, kneel in prayer.
2) Purgatory -- Souls, nude, amid flames in pit.
Feast of All Soul's celebrated November 2.
Below, in cama³aeu, hunter, blowing horn, and dogs pursue rabbit (Hunting scene).
3) Martin of Tours: dividing Cloak -- Outside city gates, Martin of Tours, nimbed, astride horse, divides cloak partly draped over shoulders of cripple, nude, with amputated foot.
Feast celebrated November 11.
Below, in cama³aeu, two beggars. One, seated on ground, holds crutch. The other, pulling himself in cart, raises bowl.
4) Clement of Rome: cast into Sea (Martyrdom) -- In boat, two of three men cast Clement of Rome, wearing tiara and papal vestments, into sea.
Feast celebrated November 23.
Below, in cama³aeu, one man plows. Second man carries basket on back.
5) Catherine of Alexandria: Martyrdom -- Within landscape, executioner raises sword above head of Catherine of Alexandria, kneeling, hands joined, beside two angels. Two men, including Maxentius, look on.
Feast celebrated November 25.
Below, in cama³aeu, two male figures.
6) Apostle, Andrew: Crucifixion -- Within landscape, group of figures look on as executioner binds Apostle Andrew to saltire cross with rope.
Feast celebrated November 30.
7) Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius -- Centaur shooting bow and arrow, within landscape.
Below, SAGITARIVS inscribed in cama³aeu.
Lower border:
Month, Occupation: November -- Within farmyard enclosed by buildings, including dovecote, two men, within ring of flax laid out on ground, break flax with implements. To left, under shed, woman scutches flax with scutching knife. She is seated on chair beside two bundles of flax. Pigs inhabit farmyard. Within building to left, man appears in doorway, raising implement, possibly a flail. In foreground to right, man feeds pigs, in cage below dovecote, with bucket.