Matthew's Lesson: Matthew Writing
Hours of Henry VIII
Illuminated by Jean Poyer
Gift of the Heineman Foundation, 1977
Matthew's Lesson: Matthew Writing
Border: Magi Meeting at the Crossroads (fol. 10v)
As the angel, Matthew's symbol, attends bearing a book, the evangelist sits at his desk writing the text for his Gospel Lesson, which Poyer brought to life with his border illlustration.
In the border the Three Kings, accompanied by their entourages, meet at the crossroads en route to where the star leads them. The text begins, Cum natus esset Ihesus in Bethleem Iude in diebus Herodis Regis, ecce Magi ab Oriente venerunt Ierosolimam (When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, Magi came from the East to Jerusalem).