Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
Spain, perhaps Burgos or Segovia, 1465-1480
MS M.854 fol. 108v

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Christ: Flight into Egypt, Fall of Idols -- Virgin Mary, nimbed, wearing veil and wimple, sits sideways on ass and holds in her lap Christ Child. Beside the ass stands Joseph, with rayed nimbus, holding staff. Behind Joseph is stalk of grain (?). In background is landscape with rock-strewn road, trees, distant cities with cross-surmounted towers, and idol, holding bow and arrow, standing askew atop column or pedestal.
Miniature enclosed in frame inscribed FUGE IN EGIPTVM ET ESTO IBI VSQVE DUM DICAM TIBI FVTVRVM EST ENIM VT QVERAT HERODES PVERUM (sic).
Amid foliate ornament in margins are nude man, seated backwards astride hybrid man, with animal hindquarters, wearing hat and capelet; man, wearing hat; and nude man, holding in right hand tail of dog, wearing capelet around neck.
Miniature and ornament executed in grisaille and gold tones with color accents.