"Along the wide lower margins of several folios in a Book of Hours belonging to the Walters Art Gallery (W. 102) there walks a procession of upright animals, some playing musical instruments, others carrying liturgical objects, and all obviously concerned with the imminent burial of the central figure whose pointed muzzle and bushy tail alone are visible from under the cloth covering his bier. The hitherto unidentified cortege, portrayed in a humorous and lively manner, is undoubtedly that of the wily medieval animal "hero," Reynard the Fox. ... Desiring perhaps to add logic to what must have been considered irreverence, the artist of this manuscript began to depict his satiric funeral cortege on the final folio of the Office of the Dead!" - McCulloch

Following the description of the Reynard images, the author gives an account of the remainder of the texts in the manuscript.

Black & white illustrations: all of the funeral procession (folios 73 to 81), plus other manuscript page images.

Language: English