Pierpont Morgan Library Ms. 324, fol. 128v, mid-XIVth century

Size: 

216x279mm

Column miniature  

Height: 10 lines

Materials:

Vellum

Gold leaf, blue, red, brown, grey, white

Initials: 

Red foliate initial "S" with gold leaf foliate extenders springing from the right side and going upwards and downwards, partially framing the miniature and the text.   

Rubric:

Directly above miniature: "Si comme genius absout nature" 

Frame:

Simple gold leaf exterior frame with corner pieces, surrounding a blue interior frame with white wavy patterns on the right, left, and top sides. Both the right side and the left side of the frame have gold leaf foliated extenders and gold leaf "sperms."

Background:

Red with a filigree pattern in yellow/gold. 

Placement of miniature: 

Directly after Nature's confession

Place of Production of the Miniature:

France

Date of Production of the Miniature:

1350

Similarities to other images from the corpus:

Gestures:

BISMUM, H245, fol. 118v

BSG, MS. 1126, fol.139r2

LBG, MS. FR178, fol. 143r

BSG, MS. 1126, fol. 139r

Secondary sources:

Helen M., "Gardens and Gardening," in the Bulletin of the New York Public Library, 1927, 31:3.

Allegories: 

Genius (Bishop) is on the left.

Lady Nature is on the right.

Clothing:

1. Genius (dressed as a bishop)

• Long white alb

• Dark grey hood

2. Lady Nature

• Long brownish robe with tight fitting sleeves, tied at the waist

• Simple red headdress in the shape of a Phrygian cap

Gestures: 

Lady Nature is facing left, kneeling. Her hands are together and her head bowed in an act of prayer.  Genius is sitting, facing left, towards Nature.  His right hand is raised in the act of blessing.  He is looking down at Lady Nature.

Objects: 

Genius is sitting on a grey stone bench, representative of a cathedra, the seat of power of the bishop.