Psalter, folio 12r

The psalter, containing the Book of Psalms, was used in the liturgy but was also the central text for medieval private devotion until it was surpassed in popularity by the Book of Hours in the 13th century. The ubiquity of the psalter among the faithful, particularly among the wealthy classes, means that some lavishly illuminated copies have survived. This 14th century volume was probably an English family possession and is laden with intricate interlaced borders, colourful historiated initials and fantastical drolleries, including monkeys, serpentine monsters and other grotesque beasts. Here the historiated initial from the Hours section of the manuscript depicts the Virgin Mary in conversation (in French) with a layperson.