Cleveland Museum of Art

Adjoining Leaves from a Book of Hours: Penitential Psalms and King David in Prayer (2 of 3 Excised Leaves)

Noël Bellemare

Date

c. 1530–35

Medium

ink, tempera, and liquid gold on vellum

Culture

France, 16th century

Department

Medieval Art

Institution

Cleveland Museum of Art

These two adjoining leaves begin the penitential psalms, or holy poems recited to ask for forgiveness. An elderly King David is depicted kneeling in prayer after having committed great sins. He has cast his harp and hat to the ground as an expression of humility and looks up to the sky to ask forgiveness. The text of Psalm 6 begins with the large decorated initial D and reads, “Domine ne in furore tuo arguas me: neque in ira tua corripias me,” or “O Lord rebuke me not in thy indignation, nor chastise me in thy wrath.” The seven penitential psalms were recited to ask for forgiveness; they coincide with the seven deadly sins.

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