Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Psalter
France, possibly Saint-Omer, 13th century
MS M.79 fol. 60v

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Initial D of Dixit enclosing David, crowned, seated on bench, with legs crossed, his right forefinger raised toward bald man, wearing short tunic, bared hindquarters, with right hand raising object, possibly food, to mouth and with left hand resting club on left shoulder, both against gold background; the initial’s ascender extending across upper margin partly formed by dragon-like hybrid animal, winged, biting the initial and terminating in foliage, the whole perched on by pair of confronted cat-like hybrid animals; and descender extending across left, lower, and right margins partly formed by cat and terminating in foliage, the whole perched on by leaping hybrid woman, wearing cap and snood, with body of saddled horse. Initial D and marginal illustrations of Psalm 53.