Suckling child from BL Royal 2 B VII, f. 303v

Detail of a miniature of the Virgin Mary, enthroned, suckling the Child, wth two angels above supporting the drapery behind her. In niches, two angels pla the guitar and a violin, and two others, below, holding tapers. Image taken from f. 303v of Psalter ('The Queen Mary Psalter'). Written in Latin, with French image captions.

The image of Mary holding the Christ Child is a common depiction in Christian art and is known as the "Madonna and Child." It represents the mother of Jesus and her son and is a symbol of motherhood, love, and compassion.

The BL Royal Manuscript Collection, also known as the Royal Collection, consists of over 2,000 manuscripts that were once owned by the British monarchs, including English and later British kings and queens from the late 12th to the 19th centuries. These manuscripts are notable for their historical and artistic value.

The collection was initially stored in various royal libraries and palaces, such as the Tower of London and Westminster Palace. During the English Civil War in the 17th century and the subsequent Interregnum, many royal treasures, including manuscripts, were dispersed and sold. Some manuscripts were lost, destroyed, or ended up in private hands.

In 1757, King George II donated the Old Royal Library to the British Museum (which later became the British Library), where the manuscripts were integrated into the museum's collections. This marked the formal establishment of the Royal Manuscript Collection within the British Museum.

child bl royal b vii manuscripts medieval queen mary master westminster the queen mary psalter east anglia latin manuscript medieval miniatures angels westminster abbey london england book of psalms psalter psalms french manuscripts british library

1310 - 1320

British Library

http://europeana.eu/

Public Domain