The tumultuous world of ancient Israel collides with that of medieval Europe in a lavish 13th-century picture book now housed in the Pierpont Morgan Library, in New York, and used to illustrate the preceding article in this issue (see “David’s Threat to Nabal”). The conflicts of Abraham, Joshua and David are translated into furious cavalry charges reminiscent of 13th-century warfare: The Israelites wear chain mail armor, don great helms and bloody the flanks of their horses with pricked spurs. King David (photo below, top left scene) sits enthroned on the coronation chair of the French monarchy, an elaborate folding […]