Eagle, swan, griffon and rooster (Book 12: On birds)

The eagle, swan and rooster are depicted realistically, alongside a mythical griffon with a blue head and blue and white wings.

Infrared imaging reveals the word ‘rot’ (‘red’ in German), hidden beneath the red background of the miniature (see Infrared Layer). Written by the Mazarine Master, this instruction served to inform his assistants how to complete that portion of the miniature. The same word has been detected underneath the paint layers in the background of the miniature on fol. 163r. Similar instructions have not been found beneath the paint layers of the plain red grounds in the manuscript (e.g. fol. 296v), suggesting, perhaps, that the word ‘rot’ was used to indicate this particular pattern of red scrolls of acanthus on a slightly darker red ground.