Psalter, folios 22v-23r

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. This opening contains some marvellous examples of the manuscript's vibrant decoration. The historiated initial on folio 23r, indicating the beginning of Psalm 20, features a king kneeling in prayer while the more comical figure of a man wearing a pair of bellows on his head can be seen on the opposing folio, likely intended to amuse the reader.