Leaf from a Psalter, with the Initial Q ("Quemadmodum"): Prophet at a Lectern

This manuscript leaf introduces the text of Psalm 42, beginning with the large initial “Q” whose tail extends down the left margin of the page. Because most contemporary psalters do not include a figurative initial for this psalm, this leaf likely comes from a fully-illustrated psalter intended for liturgical use. In addition to the image within the letter, which shows a man seated before a lectern, this leaf includes three fantastical beasts emerging from between the lines of text, crawling towards the right margin of the page. These creatures are not directly connected to the text of the psalm, but would have provided visual interest for this psalter’s medieval readers.