Da Costa hours
Illuminated by Simon Bening (1483/84–1561)
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913), 1910
Virgin Mary: Conception (Immaculate)—God appears in an arc of heaven wearing a triple-crowned tiara, raising His right hand and holding a globe in His left hand. He sends rays of light down toward a half-figure of the infant Virgin Mary within the womb of Anna, who is seated on a throne. The Virgin Mary is nude, her hands are joined, and she appears amid rays of light. Anna is nimbed and wears a wimpled veil. She holds an open book in her lap with her right hand, and her left hand is raised to her breast. She is flanked by David and Solomon.
The scene is framed by a border inscribed TOTA PVLCRA ES AMICA MEA ET MACVLA NO(N) in display script.
Image courtesy of Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt, Graz/Austria.