April from Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

A lovely scene, one of my favourites. April signified the arrival of spring, hope and new life, a month traditionally represented by young women gathering flowers. It was a perfect time for a betrothal. Here Limbourg brothers respected this convention by showing us a lovely, green meadows, with the land  laid out before the castle like a garden. A small village is nestled against the walls of the castle to the right; two men in boats are fishing peacefully in the moat; to the right we can see a garden beginning to bloom with what might be fruit trees with white flowers and several bushes tied up against the wall in a horizontal espalier.

In the foreground two young, aristocratic ladies in relatively simple but lovely dresses are picking first flowers. Next to them a young couple, a bride and a bride groom, in their festive clothes are choosing a wedding ring which is laid out on a cushion as the lord and lady preside over the little ceremony. Behind them there is a young boy (a page?). The bride is dressed in a lovely mauve garment with darker, purple pattern, the color of violets which are also spring flowers; the bride groom has a red turban on his head and a magnificent cloak of royal blue with golden lillies. In the background stands Dourdan, one of the duke's many residences. 

Who is the happy couple?

I found the following explanation: the picture has a political meaning. We are witnessing the betrothal  of Charles d'Orleans and Bonne d'Armagnac, the daughter of Bernard d'Armagnac and the grand-daughter of the Duc de Berry which took place in 1410. This is a political alliance between two powerful families who were on opposite sides of the 100 Years War - thus we see here the promise of  peace, prosperity and happiness in both the natural and political worlds.

However I believe (and admit that it is simply a guess) that the man in the blue and gold coat might also represent the Duc de Berry himself. He was shown in a similar garment elsewhere (for example in the January miniature), and he commissioned the book. The Duc was married first, at the age of twenty, to Jeanne d’Armagnac, and after her death, to Jeanne de Boulogne, who survived him. At the time of this second union he was fifty and the bride was twelve - a huge age difference for us, but not one that would have shocked his contemporaries. So I would say this lovely scene might also show the engagement of the Duc de Berry and young Jeanne de Boulogne. What do you think?