Jonah Released from the Great Fish
3rd quarter of the 13th century
Manuscript illumination in an initial E
Parchment, gold ground, ink
Aarau, Aargauer Kantonsbibliothek, MsWettF 11
The image reflects a Christian interpretation of Jonah's sojourn in the fish as a type of Baptism. Like someone "born again," Jonah has a baby's big eyes, chubby pink cheeks, and bald, disproportionately large head. That he is emerging rather than being swallowed is indicated by his heavenward gaze, his right hand's gesture of acclamation, and his confident hold on the crosspiece of the E.
Read more about images of Jonah.
Source: e-codices - Virtual Manuscript Library of Switzerland