Portrait of a King

[Full-page Illumination]

This Romanesque-style miniature depicts a crowned king seated upon a throne. The armrests of his seat are decorated with animal heads zoomorphic|animal-shaped, a common motif in high medieval art. The king holds a rectangular tablet or book and is dressed in robes with heavily stylized, rhythmic folds. The figure is set against a solid, vibrant red background within a simple rectangular frame.

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This illustration is a significant example of 12th-century manuscript art. The "beast-head" throne and the specific treatment of the clothing folds are characteristic of the period's royal and biblical portraiture. In the context of a Psalter, this figure almost certainly represents King David, the traditional author of the Psalms.