Getty Museum

An Angel Standing in the Sun and Birds Invited to the Repast

Date

about 1255–1260

Medium

Tempera colors, gold leaf, colored washes, pen and ink

Culture

English

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

In this section of the Apocalypse, Saint John describes an angel standing in the sun calling to all the birds of heaven. On the right the angel floats with the sun beneath its feet, calling to the birds to come feed on the mighty and the meek of the earth. A great pile of bodies appears at the bottom of the miniature, with birds diving down in attack or standing on top of them to pick at their flesh. The artist incorporated one chilling detail not mentioned in the text: the voracious birds have plucked out the eyes of each and every body.

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