MS. Douce 80

Decoration

Fine miniatures, historiated borders, initials. By the Boucicaut and Bedford Masters. The calendar and most of the borders completed, 15th century, second half. (P&A i. 643, pl. L)

Half-page miniatures:

• Fol. 18r: Christ Carrying the Cross (Passion according to John).
• Fol. 36r: Annunciation (Hours of the Virgin, Matins).
• Fol. 72r: Nativity (Hours of the Virgin, Prime).
• Fol. 78v: Annunciation to the Shepherds (Hours of the Virgin, Terce).
• Fol. 101r: David in Prayer, David's face worn (Penitential Psalms).
• Fol. 127r: Pentecost (Hours of the Holy Ghost, Matins).
• Fol. 134r: Funeral Mass (Office of the Dead).
• Fol. 185v: Enthroned Virgin and Child (Fifteen Joys of the Virgin).
• Fol. 192r: Last Judgement (Seven Requests).
• Fol. 196r: Virgin and Child with portrait of a female donor (?) (Prayer to the Virgin).

Roundels: labours of the month and zodiac in the calendar:

• January: Feasting (fol. 1r), Aquarius (fol. 1v).
• February: Keeping Warm (fol. 2r), Pisces (fol. 2v).
• March: Pruning (fol. 3r), Aries (fol. 3v).
• April: Picking Flowers (fol. 4r), Taurus (fol. 4v).
• May: Hawking (fol. 5r), Gemini (fol. 5v).
• June: Mowing (fol. 6r), Cancer (fol. 6v).
• July: Reaping (fol. 7r), Leo (fol. 7v).
• August: Threshing (fol. 8r), Virgo (fol. 8v).
• September: Treading Grapes (fol. 9r), Libra (fol. 9v).
• October: Sowing (fol. 10r), Scorpio (fol. 10v).
• November: Thrashing for Acorns (fol. 10b, recto), Sagittarius (fol. 10b, verso).
• December: Slaughtering a Pig (fol. 11r, lower margin), Capricorn (fol. 11r, right-hand margin).
• Fol. 11v: roundels of John the Evangelist with an eagle and palm (left-hand margin); Nativity, with Mary and Joseph kneeling before the Christ Child, an ox and ass in the background (lower margin).

Borders, historiated:

• Fol. 18r: Five angels carrying the Instruments of the Passion; two birds, a goldfinch and a crane (Passion according to John).
• Fol. 101r: Jewelled frame for miniature and border. Figures hunting, dancing and playing musical instruments (Penitential Psalms).

Borders, other: full borders with foliate design, gold spray and drolleries. The borders often appear to have been copied through the parchment, resulting in a reverse of the recto design found on the verso.

Decorated initials: four-, three-, two- and one-line initials in red and blue, enclosing foliage, on a gold ground. Two-line KL monograms in the Calendar, formed from acanthus leaves and small flowers and painted in grisaille.

Chrysography: two lines, heading the Gospel of John pericope, on Fol. 12r.

Line fillers: patterns, mostly floral, on a gold background.