Shepherds Purse: manuscript - Tres Belles Heures "Nativity"

Return to main page

click here or on picture for larger version

The manuscript is one of the more famous ones of medieval France (Bibliotheque Nationale Paris MS. Nouv. Acq. Lat. 3093, f. 42) -- my sources give the date variously as the late 14th or early 15th century. From a research point of view, this picture is particularly fascinating since the netted belts hung at the shepherds' belts are clearly transparent (one appears to have an object as contents showing through), and are hung by the ends from the belt rather than being drawn around the waist as a belt-like object itself.

References

Porcher, Jean. 1960. Medieval French Miniatures. Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York. pl. 66

Harthan, John. 1977. The Book of Hours. Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York. p.54