Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Picture Bible
France, Paris, ca. 1244-1254
MS M.638 fol. 34v

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Zone 1:
David: Battle against Amalekites -- David in mail, wearing visor, mounted on caparisoned horse, raises sword in right hand and grabs head of mounted Amalekite in mail. Soldiers in mail, some mounted, engage in combat with swords, notched falchion, axe, dagger, and bannered lances. They charge eight Amalekites, two including woman wearing wimpled veil, seated at table on which are bowls, knives, and loaves (banquet). Two Israelite soldiers, one with dagger and scabbard, lead away Ahinoam and Abigail. In foreground, four slain soldiers in mail. Illustration of I Samuel 30:16-18.
Zone 2:
Saul: Battle in Mount Gilboa, and Saul: Death -- Philistine soldiers in mail, some mounted on horses, one caparisoned, armed with lances, some bannered, swords, and bows and arrows, pursue Israelites in armor, some fallen. Two archers shoot arrows, piercing Saul, crowned, in mail, transfixing himself with and falling on sword, on hill. Below him, Jonathan, Abinadab and Melchishua, sons of Saul, in mail, are slain, and armorbearer is prostrate on sword. Illustration of I Samuel 31:1-6.
Scenes with architectural frames.