Livre des merveilles du monde
ca. 1460
France, probably Angers
281 x 220 mm
MS M.461, fols. 74v–75r
Purchased by J. Pierpont Morgan (1837–1913) in 1911
Syria (left)
Here, the illuminator presents a miraculous image of the Virgin Mary, whose breast lactates oil.
China (right)
China is depicted as not only far away, but inaccessible, divided from Europe by both snow and monsters, and, following a longstanding racist stereotype, the inhabitants of China are characterized as shy and cowardly, hiding behind rocks while European traders leave goods on the beach for them to find later.