| From a German Prayerbook with 39 large miniatures dated 1508. According to Merkl it is said to have belonged to a Cistercian, but this seems doubtful. One of 31 full-page miniatures depicts a nimbed Bernard in a black cowl sitting on a stool at a desk upon which is an open book (a psalter) from which he is reading. Hiding behind the desk is a black demon of almost the same size who is peering round to interrupt Bernard. Border with naturalistic flowers and a bird on a gold background. The text on the opposite folio (f 175r) is that of the Seven Verses of Bernard, introduced in red ink as follows: 'Septem versus psalmiste multum prerogatum...' (The Seven Verses of the psalmist much favoured which Saint Bernard was accustomed to use and which the devil had wonderfully selected from the following collection). The first verse is preceded by the words: 'Omnipotens splendor eterne lucis signum sancte crucis' (Almighty splendor of eternal light, a sign of the holy cross). The second verse is preceded by: 'Omnipotens salvator humanitatis' (Almighty saviour of mankind). The date appears in the manuscript with the initials M H, but at the end of the manuscript is also the date 1508. Bernard has a 'tuft'. There is another image of Bernard - an Amplexus - in the same manuscript (see MA131).
|
