Moses Counting the Children of Israel

French 13th Century

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of an ornate manuscript page with illuminated text and a decorative initial. The page features a beautifully illustrated capital letter 'L' with an illuminated scene depicting five figures in medieval attire set against a gold background. They are arranged within the vertical stroke of the 'L' standing on a blue ground. Above the columns of text, the word "NUMERI" is written in multicolored, decorative letters. The surrounding text is in Latin and is rendered in a uniform, Gothic script that fills two columns on aged, cream-colored parchment. The design of the illuminated letter and the use of color within the letter contrast with the black ink of the text.