Illustration of Psalm 97

Unknown (Flemish)

Item type:

manuscript, codex, scroll

Date of creation:

15th century

Height:

20.0 cm  (7 7/8 in.)

Width:

14.0 cm  (5 1/2 in.)

Measurements approximated, based on display from the British Library.

Technique / Medium:

parchment

Description

Illustration above psalm text depicts King David and six musicians gathering in a throne room. David points to a group of singing angels in the upper left. In the foreground, from left to right, the musicians are holding or playing a shawm, psaltry, shawm, portative organ, and fiddle. Behind David sits a lutenist. David places his right hand on a harp. The psaltry and two musicians sit on a bench.

People as subjects

David, King of Israel

Iconclass

71H(+31)
story of David (+ angel(s) floating in the air)

Instruments [MIMO Code] (notes)

Shawm [4258] (2 shawms depicted.)
Psaltery [3677]
Portative organ [2267]
Fiddle [3142]
Lute [3394]
Harp [3285]

Image URLs

image link 1

Bibliographic references

McKinnon, James W. “The fifteen temple steps and the gradual psalms”. Imago musicae: International yearbook of musical iconography 1 (1984): 29-49. RILM 1984-06934.

Closson, Ernest and Charles van den Borren, eds. La musique en Belgique du moyen age à nos jours (Bruxelles: Renaissance du Livre, 1950) 75.

Notes

Title is McKinnon's caption, based on the text below the illustration in the Isabella Breviary: "Cantate Domino canticum novum," Ps. 97 (Vulgate).

RIdIM record id

4667