Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, ca. 1430
MS M.64 fol. 67r

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Christ: Crucifixion -- Christ, cross nimbed, with crown of thorns, wearing short loin cloth, bleeding from wounds in side, hands and feet, is affixed to cross with three nails. Titulus INRI on scroll above cross. At left are Evangelist John, with decorated nimbus, holding swooning Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled, and Holy Women, nimbed and veiled. At right are Longinus of Jerusalem holding scroll inscribed UERE FILIUS DEI ERAT, and three soldiers, one with spear. Scene in canopied, windowed, architectural frame with two statues on top holding scrolls and with crosses surmounting pinnacles.
Right margin, within circle of foliage (bottom to top):
1) Christ: Deposition -- Man leaning over arms of cross, holds body of Christ, cross-nimbed. Joseph of Arimathea stands at foot of cross holding cloth to receive body. They are flanked by Virgin Mary, nimbed and veiled, and possibly Evangelist John, nimbed, and by three figures, two nimbed.
2) Christ: Entombment -- Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus (?) lower the partially draped body of Christ, cross-nimbed, into sarcophagus. Virgin Mary (?), nimbed, and Mary Magdalen, nimbed, holding container in draped hand stand behind sarcophagus; Holy Woman, nimbed, kneels in front of sarcophagus holding container.
Margins decorated with border of foliate and floreate ornament, including strawberry, inhabited by goose in water between two grassy hillocks. In each corner of lower margin, sketch of dog, one on left, head turned back biting itself and on right, vine emerges from mouth.