Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Netherlands, ca. 1494
MS M.1078 fol. 104v

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Virgin Mary, with rays as nimbus, veiled, stands with hands crossed on her breast. Sword pierces her heart. Landscape with building in background.
Around the portrait of the Virgin Mary is camaïeu frame, enclosing seven Passion scenes:
1) Christ: Arrest -- Christ, with hands bound, stands flanked by soldiers, wearing hats, holding spears.
2) Christ: before Pilate -- Pilate, wearing hat, holding scepter, sits on throne. Before him stands Crhist, with hands bound, flanked by soldiers, wearing hats, holding spears.
3) Christ: Ecce Homo -- Christ, wearing crown of thorns and mantle, stands on raised dais with Pilate, wearing hat, holding scepter. Below stand soldiers, wearing hats, holding spears and shield.
4) Christ: bearing Cross -- Christ carries on His left shoulder tau cross. Around Him are two women (?), soldiers, and man carrying ladder.
5) Christ: Crucifixion -- Christ, wearing short loin cloth, is affixed with three nails to cross with titulus inscribed INRI. Flanking the cross are Virgin Mary, nimbed, veiled, and Evangelist John, nimbed.
6) Christ: Pietà -- Body of Christ lays on or before lap of Virgin Mary, veiled, kneeling with joined hands raised. She is flanked by two women (?), both nimbed. In background is cross.
7) Christ: Entombment -- Body of Christ, laying in shroud, is lowered into sarcophagus by Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Beside the sarcophagus stands Virgin Mary, veiled, and Evangelist John, with rays as nimbus.
Margins with scattered flowers, inhabited by butterfly, birds, peacock, and fly..