Getty Museum
Initial D: David Pointing to His Mouth
Creator
Bute MasterIlluminator · 1260–1290
All works by this person →The anonymous artist known as the Bute Master was named for his work on a psalter formerly in the collection of the Marquess of Bute, Scotland, and now in the Getty Museum. Though the Bute Master often collaborated with other illuminators, as was common in the 1200s, he was solely responsible for all 190 historiated initials in the Bute Psalter. A prolific artist who worked in the prosperous citie
More on Getty ULAN- Date
- text and illumination about 1285
- Medium
- Tempera colors, gold, and iron gall ink
- Culture
- French
- Department
- Manuscripts
- Institution
- Getty Museum
- Object ID
- 57adada6-e62d-47cd-9956-9b0625b9e902
A large historiated initial *D* opens Psalm 38: *Dixi custodiam vias meas ut non delinq[ua]m in lingua mea* (I said, "I will take heed to my ways that I not sin with my tongue"). Inspired by these words, the Bute Master depicted King David, traditionally considered the author of the psalms, pointing to his mouth. With his other hand, David gestures toward the ground and the seated woman at the bottom of the page. She in turn points toward a soldier. Presenting his back to the viewer, the soldier twists his head up and to the left while pointing his spear toward David. This series of gestures creates a visual circuit that links the figures as it guides the viewer's gaze around the page.
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