St. Anne Constructing The Virgin Analysis

It is interesting to note that, included in the set of Suffrages as the very first prayer is an illustration devoted to St. Anne in St. Anne Instructing the Virgin (Fol. 13). It is no accident that the first suffrage in this prayer book is dedicated to the saint with the same name as the patron; certainly, this primary position was deliberately chosen, indicating the particular devotion to this saint that Anne de Bretagne had. The inclusion of St. Anne is not only significant because of the name. As the mother of the Virgin, she is significant, as well, and she, along with the Virgin herself, serves as a model of ideal motherhood towards which Anne de Bretagne could aspire. Thus, this illustration is one of the examples of personalisation, …show more content…
Each saint and Biblical character is rendered in such a way as to make a clear connection as to the identity of each one. Often, saints are recognisable solely through the scenes of their martyrdom, as may be seen in St. Sebastian Shot with Arrows (Fol. 16) and Martyrdom of St. Ursula and Her Companions (Fol. 17v), or by the inclusion of the objects by which the martyrdom was completed, whether by saw, club, or lance, such as in The Apostle Jude and the Prophet Daniel (Fol. 7) and The Apostle Thomas and the Prophet Hosea (Fol. 4). The prophets’ identification only requires the ability to read, for there, in their hands, a scroll is placed, bearing the name of the prophet who holds it – Jeramiah (Fol. 2), Joel (Fol. 6), and Daniel (Fol. 7) are just a few examples. Since this manuscript was completed during the dauphin’s early childhood, these adjustments are understandable. Anne herself, a woman who was pious to the point of what has been called ‘religious intolerance,’ was imparting her religious fervor and beliefs upon her son at such a young age that it was likely that even these inscriptions would not have been useful as he was probably still too young to be doing more than learning to