| Below a picture in the sky of God the Father blessing holding a cross-topped orb, surrounded by a choir of angels, is a Lactation scene attributed to Simon Marmion and painted c 1475-80, a single leaf probably from a Flemish Book of Hours from Valenciennes. Marmion has adopted the half-length format which he favoured throughout the 1480's. In the foreground, seen from behind, his face in profile facing right, Bernard is kneeling, his hands folded, and wearing a richly-embroidered cope with a scene of the Annunciation on the back. he is sharing with the spectator of the picture the scene of Mary holding a half-naked Child in her right hand and with her left hand on her bared breast ready to give Bernard her milk. The Child holds Bernard's crozier. The curved inscription 'Monstra te esse matrem' is above her halo and following the contour of this. The portraitlike features suggest that it may also depict the book's patron. Landscape with buildings in the middle distance. This way of showing the Lactation scene was much in vogue with Flemish painters at the time. Marmion worked on many subjects: secular, devotional, and visionary, and both on diminutive prayer books and massive altarpieces.
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