Browse Items (45 total)

Pentecost. The apostles surround Mary, who sits with a book in her lap, as tongues of fire seem to leap from the dove. The two-tiered structure of the illumination may represent the upper room where they awaited the descent of the Holy Spirit.

Penitential Psalms Scenes from David's life in chronological order: David slays Goliath; David parades with Goliath's head; David crowned as King; David gazes at Bathsheba (for another depiction of this scene, see the Manuscript case).

Judgment Day. A death scene, full of symbolic figures: a young man stands in a gaping mouth, a common image of hell. One figure holds a stake (not the typical sickle that represents the cutting off of life), another a scroll upon which the evil deeds…

Penitential Psalms. Peacock and drollery in marginal illuminations.

The Annunciation to the Shepherds

Office of the Dead. Wake service

St. Sebastian and St. Christopher St. Sebastian, depicted with arrows, makes many appearances in Books of Hours. According to the Legenda Aurea , his relics helped stop a plague in Italy. Subsequently, he was invoked to aid plague victims, and hence…

St. John with the chalice of snakes. The Emperor wanted St. John dead and thus gave him a cup of poison. Upon receiving the cup, the liquid miraculously turned into snakes, thwarting the Emperor's plot.

St. John on Patmos with demon stealing his writing instruments. Demons often show up with malicious grins and engaged in devious activities. Here the demon tries to steal St. John's writing implements. In many cases, readers fearing the demonic…

None: Presentation in the Temple. 40 days after Christ's birth, Mary presented the child and made an offering, according to Mosaic custom. The high priest receives the child while the figure behind Mary brings the customary offering of doves.