King David
© The British Library Board 1998
The 150 Psalms in the Bible are the prayers of King David, whose story is told in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 16 to 1 Kings 2). He is seen here wearing a crown and playing a harp.
And David and all the house of Israel played before the Lord on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals.
2 Samuel 6:5
He is seated against a background of gold, decorated with a flower pattern created by punching tiny holes into the gold leaf.
Initial Letters
King David is enclosed in a large letter 'B', the first letter of the word 'Beatus' ('blessed'). 'Beatus' is the first word in the opening sentence of Psalm I: 'Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.' This is what is known as an 'inhabited initial'. Smaller decorated capital letters appear below in lines 7, 9 and 13.
Virgin and Child
© The British Library Board 1998
At the bottom of the page, like a pendant, is a small image of the Virgin Mary, wearing a crown (like King David) and suckling the infant Jesus.
Marginal Figures
© The British Library Board 1998
There are two human figures in the margin of the page: at top-right a young man is playing a bagpipe decorated with a king's head at the point where the pipe is connected to the bag, which he is squeezing with his left elbow. Midway up the left margin, in direct line of vision of the young man, is a young woman, her face coyly averted.
Animals
© The British Library Board 1998
At the bottom-left-hand corner of the page there is a stag, perhaps an image of love. On the right margin there is an ape, sitting with its back turned to the text; at the top of the page there is a cat playing with a mouse; and at the top-left-hand corner there is an ape with an owl. It has been suggested by art historian Michael Camille (Mirror in Parchment?) that the owl was a motif used by the Luttrell Master as a personal signature.
Between the Lines
© The British Library Board 1998
Lines 6 and 12, both of which fall short, have an 'interlinear' creature filling up the rest of the line. Both creatures are fanciful - that in line 12 taking the form of a bear with the legs and feet of a griffin and a long tail of oak leaves. The dragon-like creature in line 6 has its neck rammed into its own mouth and seems to be swallowing itself!
