Book of Hours
December calendar page
The December illustration reminds me of Black Friday at Best Buy. Lacking a medieval mindset, it makes you wonder what's the point of the hunt, if the hounds devour the wild boar on the spot? Anyway, this is perhaps the liveliest (certainly the most graphic) miniature painting in the Book of Hours calendar year. The book's owner, the powerful and rich Duc du Berry, was born on November 30, 1340, in the great white castle. So this is an appropriate image for the last month of the year, entering a state of penitence and reflection during the weeks leading up to Christmas.
Tomorrow is the first day of Advent. It was once a period of fasting just as strict as Lent, but that was gradually relaxed into a time of expectant waiting and preparation for the nativity. The liturgical color for Advent is either purple or blue, and lighted Advent wreaths mark the season in Christian homes and churches.
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