
According to Saint Luke, after the Annunciation the
Virgin Mary left Galilee to go into a city of Judah,
where she visited Zachary and Elizabeth, her cousin
(see also folio 38v).
The latter, inspired by the Holy
Ghost, welcomed her with the words, "Blessed art
thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy
womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of
my Lord should come to me?" (Luke I: 42-43) In
answer the Virgin intoned the Magnificat, which is
transcribed below the miniature and continues onto
the next page.
This scene takes place inside the house of
Elizabeth and Zachary. Both women stand before a
chimney and a bench upon which lies an open book;
Elizabeth grasps Mary's wrists.
Pots, a pair of bellows, and a round wicker-covered bottle stand on or
hang from the fireplace, in which we see two andirons. The window's wooden shutters are open, clearly revealing a red-roofed fortress.
Although the Limbourgs had already treated this
subject, Jean Colombe has repeated it at the head of
the Magnificat. The initial letter with its rabbit
and the border foliage date from the time of the
Limbourgs.
small image (21KB) --- large image (205KB) --- The Virgin and Elizabeth (large) (262KB)