Past: Dr. Joni Hand presents Iconography of Job on the Dung Heap

"'Miserere mei, Deus': The Iconography of Job on the Dung Heap in Books of Hours"

Presented by Dr. Joni Hand, Assistant Professor of Art History at Southeast Missouri State University.

In the late Middle Ages, Job’s story served as an exemplar for the devout as they made their way through their religious lives. His narrative became popular in private devotional manuscripts as a way to meditate on a life dedicated to God in spite of great hardships. This paper will begin with a brief history of the development of Jobian iconography and the story of Job. This analysis will then examine the most common scenes found in books of hours from Job’s narrative, the compositions of which differ depending on the textual source that had been consulted. Finally, the purpose of Jobian iconography in books of hours will be discussed with emphasis on its placement within the program of the manuscript.