Initial Q: Saint Michael and the Dragon

Dressed in a brilliant red robe, Archangel Michael spears a dragon and stands on it triumphantly. Although perhaps not evident at first, Michael and the dragon actually inhabit a large initial Q. Four doglike beasts join to form the circular part of the letter while the dragon's tail literally serves as the tail of the Q. This historiated initialintroduces Psalm 51, which speaks of the eventual triumph of God over those who are wicked. The image of Archangel Michael conquering a dragon, inspired by the Bible's description of the Apocalypse, was commonly paired with this psalm. The Latin text of the psalm continues below the Qin gold letters on alternating grounds of pink and blue, Quid gloriaris... (Whoever glories...).