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).
David praying with monks and nuns (Psalm 26)
David prays to God in the upper part of the initial D. Below, two groups of monks and nuns kneel in prayer to God. The gold oil lamps hanging between them illustrate in a literal sense the opening verse of Psalm 26, written in gold on the right, Dominus illuminatio mea (‘God is my light’). The initial was painted by Hand B.