The January Feast » Detail from the January page of the Belles Heures

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Detail from the January page of the Belles Heures

The month of January is represented by two men, one young and one old, seated back to back. The image calls the double-headed divinity Janus to mind. The god of beginnings and endings, Janus gave his name to the first month in the Roman calendar. The young man on the left drinks from a full bowl, while the old man on the right reaches for a large jug to fill his empty cup. For more information about this image, see “Works and Days: The Medieval Year” (January 8, 2009).

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