January - Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

January, not December was a month of gift giving and, apparently, Jean de Berry enjoyed giving and receiving; Paul de Limbourg and his brothers used to participate in the festivities, presenting the prince with an object worthy of their artistry and also looking for inspirations.

The Duke sits at his table in a striking blue robe decorated with gold fleurs de lys - indicating his support for the French monarchy. You can see some of the wealthy friends of the Duke de Berry bringing new year's gifts to their lord. Behind him the blaze of a large fire in the monumental fireplace is guarded by a wickerwork screen. Above the fireplace rises a red silk canopy bearing the Duke's heraldic motifs: golden fleurs-de-lys, strewn on a blue ground. Wounded swans and bears symbolize the Duke's love for a lady called Ursine. Tapestries hanging behind the canopy depict knights emerging from a fortified castle to confront the enemy; the few decipherable words of the poetry inscribed at the top of the tapestries seem to indicate a representation of the Trojan War as imagined in medieval France -  the knights fight dressed in medieval armour. It might also be a reference to the war which was currently being fought against King Henry V of England who defeated the French at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415.

The table is covered with a damask cloth and laid with platters, plates, and a beautiful gold saltcellar in the shape of a ship, which is referred to in the inventories as the "salière du pavillon. " Behind him and to the right are two young men wearing black head gear who may be the Limbourg brothers who painted these scenes under the patronage of the Duke de Berry. One of them casually leans on the back of the Duke's chair. The atmosphere seems to be rather informal and pleasant, far from rigid restrictions of the royal courts. It conveys a feeling that Duke's courtiers and subjects were also his friends.

A prelate with sparse white hair and a purple coat sits on the Duke's right, thanking him for this honor. He is probably a close friend, Martin Gouge, Bishop of Chartres, who shared the Duke's love of beautiful books. Behind him several figures are seen entering and stretching their hands toward the fire; the chamberlain encourages them, saying "Approche approche!" "Come in, come in ! "The Duke's little dogs wander freely among the dishes and are generously fed. A cup-bearer, a pantler, and a carver, busy waiting on table in front of the officers of the ducal court, complete this lively tableau which recreates a familiar scene from the life at the aristocratic court of Jean de Berry.