Browse Items (45 total)

April. Central Text: April with Saints' Days. Border Illuminations: Zodiac sign, Taurus, the bull. Monthly Labor, Gathering flowering branches.

November. Central Text: November with Holy Days. Border Illuminations: Zodiac sign, Sagittarius, the archer. Monthly Labor, Thrashing for acorns.

Root of Jesse. The Root of Jesse literally sprouts from the chest of the reposing Jesse, the father of King David. Mary stands at the top of the genealogical tree as the virgin (Latin virgo) who exemplifies the prophecy of Isaiah (playing upon the…

St. Mary Magdalene. Commonly Mary Magdalene can be identified by her ointment jar (from when she anointed Christ's feet). Here she is shown in the wilderness; according to the Golden Legend, she spent 30 years in the wilderness as a hermit. Angels…

Hours of the Passion

Virgin holding an egg, with Peacock. In a unique portrayal, the Virgin appears here outside her room with the infant Christ and a red egg. The Virgin holding the egg shows her hand in the matter and foreshadows Christ's resurrection. The peacock,…

Penitential Psalms. Christ as Judge returns for the Last Judgment. He stands on an orb, representing his dominion over the world. The scene represents the return of Christ to judge both the living and the dead. Heavenly trumpets announce the event…

St. John and Seven-headed Dragon. The evangelist John appears on Patmos with his writing implements and eagle, as usual. What differs in this illumination is the presence of the seven-headed dragon, a memorable figure vividly described in the…

Sext: Adoration of the Three Magi. Typically a star guided the Magi to Bethlehem and represents Divine guidance. Melchior, the older of them, with crown removed in reverence towards the Infant, brings Frankincense in a chalice; Balthasar brings…

Christ as Man of Sorrows. Half-length Christ figure. Christ is depicted as the Man of Sorrows. References to royalty are seen in his crown of thorns and his purple garments shown below. Also below are the dice, which represent the soldiers' gambling…