Christ freeing prisoners from the Coëtivy Hours

Dunois Master, attributed to

Folio with three-quarter page miniature from a book of hours attributed to the Dunois Master, written in Latin and French in a bastarda script, made in Paris and dated 1443–1445. It was commissioned by Prigent de Coëtivy (1399?–1450) on the occasion of his marriage to Marie de Rais (1429–1457). Removed from the bound volume between 1933 and 1960. Beneath rubrics in red, a prayer to Jesus Christ opens with the illuminated initial 'D' (Dulcissime domine ihesu christe verus deus qui) painted with white, red, blue and gold ivy-leaf ornament. The miniature is painted in demi-grisaille with pigments and gold and depicts Christ freeing prisoners. Although the scene resembles an earthly gaol, Jesus is freeing souls from the torments of Hell. As each prisoner is released from his bonds, he walks through a gate to a place inhabited my men and women in prayer. Additional freed prisoners inhabit the lower margin. The peacock on the right is symbolic of the Resurrection and eternal life. On the verso, the figures in the lower margin are replaced by a pair of hybrids, half-man half-beast creatures. One aggressively points a sword and shield at a figure carrying an animal.