DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14714#0042
DESCRIPTION OF MS.
A BIBLE OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY,
NOW PRESERVED IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
NDEK the head of illuminations of the twelfth
century, we could not cite a finer example of the
period than the specimen here selected. It is from
a noble copy of the Bible, which contains some of
the largest and most florid examples known of that
peculiar style. In this manuscript, each book of the
Old Testament commences with a large capital letter,
similar to the U at the head of this description, gen-
erally with the figure of the historian or prophet
artistically introduced in some part of the letter, and
in some cases actually forming the letter itself; a
peculiar feature not often found so strikingly treated
in books of the period. The other, or secondary
capitals, are merely in red outline, in the usual
style of that epoch, but filled with party-coloured
grounds, similar to those of the common Italian
work of the early part of the fifteenth century. I
allude to the style formed of white interlacing
bands, which appears to have grown gradually out
of the feeling of the capital letters of this period;
some of which in this volume being very similar in
the interlacings, and actually tinted in a yellow
tone, like the white interlacings of the common
Italian style of the fifteenth century.*
Our specimen is from the portion of the manu-
script occupied by the New Testament, which is
rather differently treated to the Old, each gospel
commencing with a large ornamental compartment
formed of the two or three first words, the first two
or three letters of which are invariably of gigantic
size, though varying in each case both in detail and
general design. The page we have selected as the
finest example is that containing the commencement
of the Gospel of St. John, generally the one most elaborately decorated by the early illuminators. The words contained in the illumination
are " In principio," after which the text continues as in the Latin vulgate. The heading of the chapter is written beneath, and reads,
when translated, " Chapter the First. Christ, God from eternity, and man for a season—confirms the testimony of John the Baptist, and calls
certain disciples." At a first glance the general effect of this illumination is not so effective as might be expected from its large size and the
profusion of gold and rich colour employed. One seems to wish that the writing of the text, at all events that portion under the illumination,
should be larger, and the small border enclosing the illumination have also enclosed the text below. But waiving these imperfections, or
apparent imperfections, there is considerable art displayed in the composition; for instance, it might appear to a casual observer that the I
should have been marked with the bold central black line so effectively introduced in the N. But the artist had another effect in view; he
wished to make the I correspond with the smaller letters on the other side of the N, reserving the N itself as a central object; and the
composition, regarded with this feeling, will appear very successful. Nevertheless, as a whole, it is less excellent than in parts, for the N,
extracted and set apart, would be one of the finest specimens of a decorative letter of that or any other period. At the top of the
N, St. John, accompanied by his associated emblem, the eagle, is represented in the act of writing his gospel, under the influence of inspiration,
as expressed by a figure of Christ, which appears in a semicircular compartment above, holding out a book over the head of the Evangelist. It
should be observed that in our copy the treatment of the faces is somewhat less marked and decisive than in the original, and the draperies
scarcely so sharply and effectively indicated.
These volumes, as appears in a note in a handwriting of the period, belonged to the monks of St. Mary and Nicholas, of Arnstein, in the
year 1464. And it is possible that they were originally executed for that religious house, as two other volumes of precisely the same style and
period, as to the writing, contain a detailed life of the founder of that establishment. The value attached to these magnificent volumes may be
inferred from the following singular anathema at the end of the first volume:—"Liber sancte Marie sanctique Nicolai in Arrinstein. Quem
si quia abstulerit, morte moriatur, in sartagine coquatar, caducus morbus instet eum et febres, et rotatur et suspendatur. Amen;"—which may
be translated, " The book of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, in Arrinstein; the which, if any one shall purloin it, may he die the death, may he
be cooked upon a gridiron, may the falling sickness and fevers attack him, and may he be broken upon the wheel and hung,"
Anathemas were not uncommon in valuable books, but generally more simple, such as, "If any one injure or take away this book, may he
cursed, (anathema sit)."
These two volumes are numbered 2798 and 2799 in the Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum. The other volumes above alluded to,
are numbered 2800, 2801, and 2802, and contain lives of the saints, &c. &c, with that of the founder of the monastery of Arnstein. Two
other noble volumes of the same style and period, numbered 2803 and 2804, contain another copy of the vulgate. The style of the writing,
t hat of the transition from the rounded chai-acter to the angular Gothic one, is so similar in all seven volumes as to appear written by the same
hand, though that seems scarcely credible ; it is, however, clear that they were all written towards the close of the twelfth or quite at the
beginning of the thirteenth century. The last two volumes have an inscription in a comparatively modern hand, stating that tlicv belong to
the church of St. Mary, in the suburbs of the city of Worms, to which they possibly found their way, on. the suppression of the convent of Arnstein.
* See description of the specimen of the white interlaced Italian style.
A BIBLE OF THE TWELFTH CENTURY,
NOW PRESERVED IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
NDEK the head of illuminations of the twelfth
century, we could not cite a finer example of the
period than the specimen here selected. It is from
a noble copy of the Bible, which contains some of
the largest and most florid examples known of that
peculiar style. In this manuscript, each book of the
Old Testament commences with a large capital letter,
similar to the U at the head of this description, gen-
erally with the figure of the historian or prophet
artistically introduced in some part of the letter, and
in some cases actually forming the letter itself; a
peculiar feature not often found so strikingly treated
in books of the period. The other, or secondary
capitals, are merely in red outline, in the usual
style of that epoch, but filled with party-coloured
grounds, similar to those of the common Italian
work of the early part of the fifteenth century. I
allude to the style formed of white interlacing
bands, which appears to have grown gradually out
of the feeling of the capital letters of this period;
some of which in this volume being very similar in
the interlacings, and actually tinted in a yellow
tone, like the white interlacings of the common
Italian style of the fifteenth century.*
Our specimen is from the portion of the manu-
script occupied by the New Testament, which is
rather differently treated to the Old, each gospel
commencing with a large ornamental compartment
formed of the two or three first words, the first two
or three letters of which are invariably of gigantic
size, though varying in each case both in detail and
general design. The page we have selected as the
finest example is that containing the commencement
of the Gospel of St. John, generally the one most elaborately decorated by the early illuminators. The words contained in the illumination
are " In principio," after which the text continues as in the Latin vulgate. The heading of the chapter is written beneath, and reads,
when translated, " Chapter the First. Christ, God from eternity, and man for a season—confirms the testimony of John the Baptist, and calls
certain disciples." At a first glance the general effect of this illumination is not so effective as might be expected from its large size and the
profusion of gold and rich colour employed. One seems to wish that the writing of the text, at all events that portion under the illumination,
should be larger, and the small border enclosing the illumination have also enclosed the text below. But waiving these imperfections, or
apparent imperfections, there is considerable art displayed in the composition; for instance, it might appear to a casual observer that the I
should have been marked with the bold central black line so effectively introduced in the N. But the artist had another effect in view; he
wished to make the I correspond with the smaller letters on the other side of the N, reserving the N itself as a central object; and the
composition, regarded with this feeling, will appear very successful. Nevertheless, as a whole, it is less excellent than in parts, for the N,
extracted and set apart, would be one of the finest specimens of a decorative letter of that or any other period. At the top of the
N, St. John, accompanied by his associated emblem, the eagle, is represented in the act of writing his gospel, under the influence of inspiration,
as expressed by a figure of Christ, which appears in a semicircular compartment above, holding out a book over the head of the Evangelist. It
should be observed that in our copy the treatment of the faces is somewhat less marked and decisive than in the original, and the draperies
scarcely so sharply and effectively indicated.
These volumes, as appears in a note in a handwriting of the period, belonged to the monks of St. Mary and Nicholas, of Arnstein, in the
year 1464. And it is possible that they were originally executed for that religious house, as two other volumes of precisely the same style and
period, as to the writing, contain a detailed life of the founder of that establishment. The value attached to these magnificent volumes may be
inferred from the following singular anathema at the end of the first volume:—"Liber sancte Marie sanctique Nicolai in Arrinstein. Quem
si quia abstulerit, morte moriatur, in sartagine coquatar, caducus morbus instet eum et febres, et rotatur et suspendatur. Amen;"—which may
be translated, " The book of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, in Arrinstein; the which, if any one shall purloin it, may he die the death, may he
be cooked upon a gridiron, may the falling sickness and fevers attack him, and may he be broken upon the wheel and hung,"
Anathemas were not uncommon in valuable books, but generally more simple, such as, "If any one injure or take away this book, may he
cursed, (anathema sit)."
These two volumes are numbered 2798 and 2799 in the Harleian manuscripts in the British Museum. The other volumes above alluded to,
are numbered 2800, 2801, and 2802, and contain lives of the saints, &c. &c, with that of the founder of the monastery of Arnstein. Two
other noble volumes of the same style and period, numbered 2803 and 2804, contain another copy of the vulgate. The style of the writing,
t hat of the transition from the rounded chai-acter to the angular Gothic one, is so similar in all seven volumes as to appear written by the same
hand, though that seems scarcely credible ; it is, however, clear that they were all written towards the close of the twelfth or quite at the
beginning of the thirteenth century. The last two volumes have an inscription in a comparatively modern hand, stating that tlicv belong to
the church of St. Mary, in the suburbs of the city of Worms, to which they possibly found their way, on. the suppression of the convent of Arnstein.
* See description of the specimen of the white interlaced Italian style.