| From Abbot Jean de Cirey's Collection of Privileges by Peter Meglinger, the first book printed in Dijon (1491). The pope, wearing a cope and tiara, is seated on a throne flanked by two cardinals on either side. His right hand is raised in blessing, and with the other he hands a bull to the members of the Order kneeling at his feet. The main characters are identified by the name inserted within each nimbus. Below the pope in the centre is a model of the church of Citeaux with its coat of arms underneath it. It is held by the first two abbot, Robert and Alberic, who offer it up to the pope for his protection, thus honoured as the joint founders of Citeaux. Behind Robert is an abbess with a crozier, a bearded lay brother and a large number of monks. Behind Alberic is his successor, Stephen Harding, then Bernard and another large group of monks. The engraver may have been inspired by the fourteeth-century manuscript in the Citeaux library featuring the pope handing bulls to two abbots (see MA27).
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