Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Book of Hours
France, perhaps Brittany, ca. 1425
MS M.865 fol. 72r

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Magi: Adoration -- Virgin Mary, with rays and nimbus, and veiled, is seated on bed (?) holding on her lap nude Christ Child, rays as cross nimbus. He extends His left hand to vessel held by Magus before Him, kneeling next to crown. Two other Magi are at right, one removing crown with right hand and holding covered, cross surmounted vessel with draped left hand, and the other, backturned, holding vessel with left hand and removing crown with right hand. Joseph the Carpenter, wearing cap, is in left foreground, holding gold object in raised right hand.
Virgin Mary and Christ Child are in open shed with with holes in roof and low wattle fence on two sides. Ox and ass are outside shed. Scene is in hilly landscape; behind one hill is horseman, wearing hat, looking toward Magi. Another horse, bridled, mouth open looks up toward rays descending from star.
Miniature and text framed on three sides by rectilinear bars of gold decorated with vine scroll. Margins decorated with border of vine scroll.