Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Diurnal
Italy, Pisa, 1543-1599
MS M.320 fol. 63v

See more information »

Initial P with cross-inscribed banner. Initial C enclosing saint or angel, nimbed, wearing armor, holding sword with left (?) hand. Detail of unfinished initials hardly visible. In upper margin, God as half-figure, raising right hand in blessing, left hand on globe, wearing sash crossed on breast, in cloud-edged mandorla. Mandorla flanked by angels and winged heads among blank scrolls. In upper left margin, angels playing musical instruments including trumpets, harp, lute, and possibly rebec and cornetto. Christ: Ascension -- -Below, Christ, nimbed, raising right hand, nude body partially draped, stands surrounded by figures, including John Baptist, with joined hands raised, possibly wearing animal skin with knotted sash at waist; bishop wearing miter or pope wearing tiara; men wearing hats; king with crown on turban-like headgear. Winged heads at feet of Christ. In lower left margin, two angels (?) holding blank scroll are possibly on clouds above group of men (apostles?) and Virgin Mary, veiled, with joined hands, all looking up, surrounding hill on which are two footprints, in landscape. In lower margin, escutcheon with Instruments of Passion including column, rope, scourge (?), sun and moon, spear, cross, sponge on reed, crown of thorns, three nails. Escutcheon only partially finished, some objects not identifiable. Blank scrolls flanking escutcheon; right side of lower margin unfinished.