St. Augustine

In the lower portion of this sumptuous illuminated border St. Augustine looks out from his book-lined study over an exquisite landscape populated by rabbits and deer toward the City of God, its golden walls hovering in the sky. Two elegantly posed angels guard one of the city gates, which forms the initial I in the upper left. These illuminations are attributed to Girolamo da Cremona, who decorated for wealthy patrons a number of luxury books printed by Nicolas Jenson. This one bears the arms of the Mocenigo family, possibly indicating that it belonged to Pietro Mocenigo, doge of Venice.