The Digital Walters is a branch of The Walters Art Museum Manuscripts Department.
The Digital Walters is a branch of The Walters Art Museum Manuscripts Department.
This Gospel Book from the late tenth century has been attributed to the Benedictine Abbey of Fleury in the commune of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, France. Carolingian influence is visible in both the text and decoration of this manuscript. Notable artistic parallels exist between this manuscript and an early eleventh-century Reichenau Gospel book (Munich, Clm 4454). These parallels have been attributed to artistic cross-influences between Fleury and Reichenau, and may reflect shared dependence on a common earlier tradition. This Gospel Book contains twelve richly illuminated canon tables decorated with signs of the zodiac as well as human, zoomorphic, and vegetal forms. The canons are composed of arches surmounted by a lunette. Each Gospel begins with an elaborate initial decorated with beast interlace, as well as sprouting acanthus leaves. The pages facing the beginning of each Gospel were originally left blank, possibly indicating an original plan to include Evangelist portraits, which were common in this period. A small, off-center pen-drawn Evangelist portrait was added at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel sometime soon after the book's creation. The book was originally composed of nineteen perfect quires of eight, which reflects sophisticated planning for the physical composition of the book. It has been suggested that the narrow, elongated proportions of the book suggest its use as a liturgical text (Cahn, 1981), and indicate it was designed to accommodate an ivory diptych (type) on the front cover (Nordenfalk, 1973).
Caroline minuscule; some rustic capitals and uncial for titles and rubrics; several scribes, hand change visible on fol. 49r
Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.
Cataloger: Herbert, Lynley
Cataloger: Mackin, Elliot
Editor: Herbert, Lynley
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Herbold, Rebekah
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Wiegand, Kimber
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935, p. 766, no. 60.
Baltimore, Maryland: The Walters Museum of Art. Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages and Renaissance: An Exhibition Held at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Baltimore: Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery. 1949, fol. 20; p. 4, no. 7, Pl. 4.
Swarzenski, H. "The Anhalt Morgan Gospels." 31. Art Bulletin. 1949, p. 79, n. 25.
Diringer, David. The Illuminated Book: Its History and Production. London: Faber & Faber. 1958, p. 166, fig. III-22a.
Miner, Dorothy E. "The Development of Medieval Illumination." Vol. I. Catholic Life Annual. 1958, p. 11, fig. 3.
Faye, C. U. and W. H. Bond. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. New York. 1962, p. 195, no. 60.
Walters Art Gallery. 2,000 Years of Calligraphy. Totowa: Rowman & Littlefield. 1965, fol. 123; no. 14, fig. 14.
Berkowitz, David S. In Remembrance of Creation: Evolution of Art and Scholarship in the Medieval and Renaissance Bible. Waltham: Brandeis University Press. 1968, no. 61.
Nordenfalk, C. "A Tenth Century Gospel Book in the Walters Art Gallery." Gatherings in Honor of Dorothy E. Miner. Ed. Ursula E. McCracken, Lilian M. C. Randall, and Richard H. Randall, Jr. Baltimore: The Walters Art Gallery. 1973, fols. 12-17v, 19v-20, 56, 86, 123, 48v, cover image; pp. 139-170.
Mutherich, F. Ausstattung und Sckmuck der Handschrift. Das Evangelia Ottos III: CLM 4453 Der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek Munchen. Frankfurt am Main: S. Fischer. 1978, pp. 70, 124.
Nordenfalk, Carl. "Review of F. Wormald and J. J. G. Alexander's ' An Early Breton Gospel Book from the Collection of H. L. Bradfer-Lawrence 1887-1965.'" 120/901. Burlington Magazine. 1978, p. 244.
Cahn, Walter. "Three Eleventh-Century Mss. From Nevers." Etudes d'Art medievale offerts a Louis Grodecki. Paris: Ophrys. 1981, p. 71, no. 51.
Randall, Lilian M. C. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Vol. I, France 875-1420. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. 1989, pp. 7-9, no. 2, ills. 5, 6, Pl.I.
Burin, Elizabeth. "The Illuminated Initial: October 8, 1991 to January 5, 1992". 44 no.8. The Walters Art Gallery Bulletin. 10/1991:5, fol. 20; p. 5.
Bennett, Adelaide, Wlater Cahn, Bert Cardon, and Karen de Coene. Medieval Mastery: Book Illumination from Charlemagne to Charles the Bold, 800-1475. Turnhout: Brepols, 2002, p. 99, 100; fig. 7.
These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.
Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, France
Late 10th century CE
book
Non-original Binding
Rebound in France, early nineteenth century, red-brown goatskin with gilt designs on cover and spine; silver corner guards; spine labeled "EVANGELIUM IHESU CHRISTI EX DONO CAROLI MAGNI"; originally in matching telescoping book box, replaced in late twentieth century with new box for conservation reasons
The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.
Created at the Fleury Abbey in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, late tenth century
Léon Gruel, Paris, late nineteenth or early twentieth century; Gruel and Engelmann bookplate, inscribed "No. 95," number also written in pencil on fol. 148v
Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired from Léon Gruel, 1903
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest
Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, France
Late 10th century CE
book
The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.
Created at the Fleury Abbey in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, late tenth century
Léon Gruel, Paris, late nineteenth or early twentieth century; Gruel and Engelmann bookplate, inscribed "No. 95," number also written in pencil on fol. 148v
Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired from Léon Gruel, 1903
Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest
This Gospel Book from the late tenth century has been attributed to the Benedictine Abbey of Fleury in the commune of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire, France. Carolingian influence is visible in both the text and decoration of this manuscript. Notable artistic parallels exist between this manuscript and an early eleventh-century Reichenau Gospel book (Munich, Clm 4454). These parallels have been attributed to artistic cross-influences between Fleury and Reichenau, and may reflect shared dependence on a common earlier tradition. This Gospel Book contains twelve richly illuminated canon tables decorated with signs of the zodiac as well as human, zoomorphic, and vegetal forms. The canons are composed of arches surmounted by a lunette. Each Gospel begins with an elaborate initial decorated with beast interlace, as well as sprouting acanthus leaves. The pages facing the beginning of each Gospel were originally left blank, possibly indicating an original plan to include Evangelist portraits, which were common in this period. A small, off-center pen-drawn Evangelist portrait was added at the beginning of Matthew's Gospel sometime soon after the book's creation. The book was originally composed of nineteen perfect quires of eight, which reflects sophisticated planning for the physical composition of the book. It has been suggested that the narrow, elongated proportions of the book suggest its use as a liturgical text (Cahn, 1981), and indicate it was designed to accommodate an ivory diptych (type) on the front cover (Nordenfalk, 1973).
Caroline minuscule; some rustic capitals and uncial for titles and rubrics; several scribes, hand change visible on fol. 49r
Principal cataloger: Randall, Lilian M.C.
Cataloger: Herbert, Lynley
Cataloger: Mackin, Elliot
Editor: Herbert, Lynley
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Herbold, Rebekah
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Wiegand, Kimber
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
De Ricci, Seymour. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. Vol. 1. New York: H. W. Wilson Company, 1935, p. 766, no. 60.
Baltimore, Maryland: The Walters Museum of Art. Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages and Renaissance: An Exhibition Held at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Baltimore: Trustees of the Walters Art Gallery. 1949, fol. 20; p. 4, no. 7, Pl. 4.
Swarzenski, H. "The Anhalt Morgan Gospels." 31. Art Bulletin. 1949, p. 79, n. 25.
Diringer, David. The Illuminated Book: Its History and Production. London: Faber & Faber. 1958, p. 166, fig. III-22a.
Miner, Dorothy E. "The Development of Medieval Illumination." Vol. I. Catholic Life Annual. 1958, p. 11, fig. 3.
Faye, C. U. and W. H. Bond. Supplement to the Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. New York. 1962, p. 195, no. 60.
Walters Art Gallery. 2,000 Years of Calligraphy. Totowa: Rowman & Littlefield. 1965, fol. 123; no. 14, fig. 14.
Berkowitz, David S. In Remembrance of Creation: Evolution of Art and Scholarship in the Medieval and Renaissance Bible. Waltham: Brandeis University Press. 1968, no. 61.
Nordenfalk, C. "A Tenth Century Gospel Book in the Walters Art Gallery." Gatherings in Honor of Dorothy E. Miner. Ed. Ursula E. McCracken, Lilian M. C. Randall, and Richard H. Randall, Jr. Baltimore: The Walters Art Gallery. 1973, fols. 12-17v, 19v-20, 56, 86, 123, 48v, cover image; pp. 139-170.
Mutherich, F. Ausstattung und Sckmuck der Handschrift. Das Evangelia Ottos III: CLM 4453 Der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek Munchen. Frankfurt am Main: S. Fischer. 1978, pp. 70, 124.
Nordenfalk, Carl. "Review of F. Wormald and J. J. G. Alexander's ' An Early Breton Gospel Book from the Collection of H. L. Bradfer-Lawrence 1887-1965.'" 120/901. Burlington Magazine. 1978, p. 244.
Cahn, Walter. "Three Eleventh-Century Mss. From Nevers." Etudes d'Art medievale offerts a Louis Grodecki. Paris: Ophrys. 1981, p. 71, no. 51.
Randall, Lilian M. C. Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Vol. I, France 875-1420. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press. 1989, pp. 7-9, no. 2, ills. 5, 6, Pl.I.
Burin, Elizabeth. "The Illuminated Initial: October 8, 1991 to January 5, 1992". 44 no.8. The Walters Art Gallery Bulletin. 10/1991:5, fol. 20; p. 5.
Bennett, Adelaide, Wlater Cahn, Bert Cardon, and Karen de Coene. Medieval Mastery: Book Illumination from Charlemagne to Charles the Bold, 800-1475. Turnhout: Brepols, 2002, p. 99, 100; fig. 7.
These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.
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