Psalter
Texts and Images
Psalms 1, 26, 38, 52, 68, 80, 97 and 109 introduce the eight groups into which most 13th-century French Psalters were divided for daily recitation. These eight Psalms open with historiated initials painted on highly burnished gold grounds by a single artist (Hand B). Most of them show King David in prayer and scenes illustrating the Psalms’ opening verses. Ordinary Psalms open with fully illuminated ornamental initials – pink or blue letters on gold grounds, or gold letters on pink and blue grounds, with green or black added in initials painted by two of the assistants (Hands 3 and 5 respectively).
Psalm 1
The verses of Psalm 1 begin with one-line initials (versals) in alternating blue and gold leaf with red or blue pen flourishing. Psalm 2 at the bottom of the page opens with a larger, pink initial Q, filled with foliage and an orange dragon on gold leaf ground, set against an outer blue ground within a gold leaf frame, and extending into spiky foliage which supports a rabbit. This initials and the line fillers, painted in the same style, are the work of the same assistant (Hand 1).