The Presentation in the Temple, historiated initial from an Antiphoner, in Latin [Italy (Venice), c.1440-50]

cutting, 140x167mm, vellum, initial 'A' for the chant ‘A[dorna thalamum tuum syon et] suscipe regem cr[istum]’, with remains of 3 lines of text and music on four-line red staves, rastrum 21-22mm, the reverse with part of ‘[Senex puerum] portabat puer autem’, both for the feast of the Purification of the Virgin, some horizontal creases with slight gold and pigment loss

According to Jewish law as set down in Leviticus 12, forty days after giving birth to a son a mother should present him at the temple and make an offering to the priests of a one-year old lamb and a pigeon, or, if she cannot get a lamb, two pigeons. In the western Church calendar Jesus was born on 25 December, so the feast of the Presentation was on the 40th day after, 2 February. Here Anna the Prophetess holds a basket with two pigeons behind Mary, who presents Jesus to Simeon the High Priest.