The Resurrection; Initial R: A Sleeping Soldier

Christ looks heavenward as he strides out of his sarcophagus, while five Roman guards-four in the miniature and one in the initial R below--are asleep on their watch. The scene introduces the feast of Easter, which commemorates Christ's rising from the dead three days after his burial. The wounds Christ suffered at the Crucifixion are visible on his chest, hand, and foot, and he carries a banner symbolizing the Resurrection. Focusing our attention on the essence of the narrative, the illuminator set the scene against a gold background of stylized foliage. The border decoration, which springs from the right side of the miniature, features comical heads--human and animal--within its leafy forms.