Getty Museum

Miniature from a Prayer Book or a Book of Hours

Simon Marmion

Date

about 1475–1480

Medium

Tempera colors and gold

Culture

French

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

This manuscript cutting is a miniature from a Prayer Book or Book of Hours, a popular devotional book in the Middle Ages. The recto's miniature illustrates Saint Bernard's Vision of the Virgin and Child, a commonly depicted subject in these books. In the scene, Saint Bernard, a Cistercian monk, and renowned theologian, is depicted in prayer before the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, both adorned with radiant halos, emphasizing their divine nature. This image portrays Bernard's plea to Mary to prove herself as the Mother of God. Remarkably, upon his request, the statue miraculously begins to lactate, confirming Mary's divine role as the Mother of God (Monstra te esse matrem). The figures are placed in the foreground, which gives the viewer the impression that they are standing behind Bernard, as a witness to the miracle alongside the saint. The Flemish illuminator Simon Marmion (active 1450–1489) crafted this miniature. Notably, Marmion worked for the Dukes of Burgundy, who were the chief political rivals of the French king and held sway over extensive territories in northeastern France, Flanders, and the Netherlands. This explains the unique style reflected in his art, characterized by meticulous attention to naturalistic details and the rendering of deep, atmospheric landscapes. Marmion's artistry breathes life into the Virgin and Child, capturing them as living beings, without any suggestion of their prior inanimate form.

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