The opening full-page miniature represents God, the Pantocrator as Creator of the universe. A grandiose, four-leaved mandorla, profiled in green and orange, surrounds the robust figure. God is resting, seated upon a throne, dressed in a light brown tunic with a blue cloak. The blue represents Him having taken on humanity. In His right hand He holds the tools of His work, a huge compass, whose arms end in metallic points: one stuck into the centre of the universe and the other, the outer perimeter. In His left hand He holds the universe, depicted as as globe, which shows scenes of Genesis 1:1-10. Within this orbed cosmos, where creation begins, four angelic creatures carry out the Creator’s orders and help Him in His work. The Lord wears a cruciform nimbus; represented with blue eyes, a bushy blond beard and hair of the same colour, He appears relaxed and youthful. His feet rest upon a golden arch. There is no place for landscape; as the perspective is inverse, or Byzantine perspective. The background of the mandorla that has not been painted is filled with gold leaf. The mandorla is held on the outside by the four angels, the two above in an inverted posture, those below in an upright position, all on a background of gold leaf, which in iconography represents the Heavens.
The opening full-page miniature represents God, the Pantocrator as Creator of the universe. A grandiose, four-leaved mandorla, profiled in green and orange, surrounds the robust figure. God is resting, seated upon a throne, dressed in a light brown tunic with a blue cloak. The blue represents Him having taken on humanity. In His right hand He holds the tools of His work, a huge compass, whose arms end in metallic points: one stuck into the centre of the universe and the other, the outer perimeter. In His left hand He holds the universe, depicted as as globe, which shows scenes of Genesis 1:1-10. Within this orbed cosmos, where creation begins, four angelic creatures carry out the Creator’s orders and help Him in His work. The Lord wears a cruciform nimbus; represented with blue eyes, a bushy blond beard and hair of the same colour, He appears relaxed and youthful. His feet rest upon a golden arch. There is no place for landscape; as the perspective is inverse, or Byzantine perspective. The background of the mandorla that has not been painted is filled with gold leaf. The mandorla is held on the outside by the four angels, the two above in an inverted posture, those below in an upright position, all on a background of gold leaf, which in iconography represents the Heavens.
