Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, Savoy or Besançon, ca. 1470
MS M.196 fol. 29r

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Christ: Nativity -- Nude Christ Child, crossed nimbus, reclining on straw on ground looking right toward Virgin Mary, nimbed, orant, kneeling. Behind her is midwife, wearing headdress, with joined hands. At His head is Joseph the Carpenter, right hand raised, holding candle in left hand, kneeling on left knee with crutch resting on right leg. Ass and ox are at right in pen, partially of wattle fence. Half-figure of God, nimbed, raising right hand in blessing and holding cross surmounted globe with left hand, is upper left.
Scene partially in shed under thatch roof with holes, in landscape beneath blue sky.
Margins decorated with border of floreate and foliate ornament with heraldic shield (purpure, ten fleurs-de-lis or (4,3,2,1) within a bordure of the second) on cord, and inhabited by man, wearing pointed hat, holding flower stem with right hand.