St. Michael Weighing Souls
Purchased on the Belle da Costa Greene Fund with the assistance of the Fellows and with special assistance of Mrs. Frederick B. Adams, Sr., Mrs. Robert Charles, Mr. Laurens M. Hamilton, The Heineman Foundation, Mrs. Donald F. Hyde, Mrs. Jacob M. Kaplan
The large miniature that introduced the Mass of the Dead is lost. Its smaller miniature survives and is shown here. The Archangel Michael is the weigher of souls at the Last Judgment. A naked soul sits in the sinking left cup of the scales, heavy with his goodness. An orange demon attempts to alter the outcome by pulling down on the other cup. Michael's judicious observations ensure the pious man's heavenly reward, which is alluded to by the music-making angel in the right border (to the dismay of the hissing monster at the lower right).