| Bernard is portrayed in this late twelfth or early thirteenth century manuscript from the German abbey of Kaisheim together with his former disciple at Clairvaux, Bernardo Paganelli, the later Pope Eugenius III which contains his famous treatise 'De consideratione' on the duties of a pontiff. The manuscript is introduced by a full-page ink drawing in brown, green and red which contains a good deal of text, some of it on scrolls. The upper half shows Mary enthroned with the Child and flanked by two named benefactresses. Below are two bearded figures dressed in robes like Roman togas with headdresses resembling primitive mitres. They are seated on stools under round arches and are identified by the names next to their heads as Eugenius on the left and Bernard on the right. The legend above Bernard around the arch reads, 'This is Abbot Bernard redolent with the lovely perfume of his works and the rich fragrance of his virtue'. The scroll he holds proclaims that he is handing his treatise to the pope, 'O, Eugenius, as pope you are a father and not a son, receive this writing and listen to an old man'. The legend above Eugenius reads, 'Here is the chief prince of the Church yet a pupil of Clairvaux who, listening intently, takes in what Bernard is writing to him', and the scroll held by Eugenius proclaims, 'Wonderful harpist of the Holy Spirit singing songs of wisdom, I drink attentively from the pleasing goblet of your words'. Although artistically accomplished the drawing is rare in its complexity for a work from a Cistercian scriptorium. The representation of Bernard is most unusual in that he is not shown with any of his traditional attributes: he is not nimbed, not cowled, does not carry a crozier or a book, and has a most unusual headdress. We are only able to identify him and Eugenius by the text.
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