Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter-Hours of Guiluys de Boisleux
France, Arras, after 1246
MS M.730 fol. 139v

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Initial M:
Psalm 119:129 (Vulg., 118:129).
Initial M decorated with foliate ornament, forming ascender of spiralling foliate stem enclosing woman, wearing berbette, embracing man (couple), both in mouth of monster in front of bench (?), adjoined by fantastic animal with ball in open jaws, and by another with ball in jaws above the initial.
Line ending: two men, armed with swords and shields, combatting.
Line ending: heraldic escutcheon of Boisleux.
Line ending: long-eared hybrid animal with two bodies.
Line ending: bird before fox, with protruding tongue, lying on its back (Bestiary: Fox feigning Death).
Line endings: geometric and foliate ornament.