Getty Museum

Inhabited Initial C

Date

probably 1170s

Medium

Tempera colors, gold leaf, silver leaf, and ink

Culture

German

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

An inhabited initial *C* opens the text of the priest's prayers for the Mass on Christmas day. The hybrid nude figure at the left holding a rod may refer to the yoke of sin, which oppresses humanity, symbolized by the nude man in the upper right. Similarly, the clusters of green grapes may here refer to the wine served at the Last Supper, which Christ spoke of as his blood. Through this reference, the initial alludes to Christ's redemptive sacrifice for the Christian faithful in the context of celebrating his birth.

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