This manuscript consists of four folios from a Gospel Book that was likely made at the monastery of Corvey in Western Germany during the last quarter of the tenth century. Dating to the reign of Otto I, these pages are a magnificent example of early Ottonian manuscript illumination. The heavily ornamented pages, which introduce the Gospels of Luke and John, shine with gold and jewel-like colors against dyed purple grounds. These pages combine monumental classicizing square capitals on purple grounds with rich and complex interlace. This fragment contains the opening pages of Luke (fols. 93-94) and John (fols. 137-138) that were originally part of Rheims, Bibliothèque Municipale, Ms. 10, a Gospel Book originally owned by the Chapter Library of the Cathedral of Rheims until it was confiscated, along with the rest of the cathedral's manuscripts, during the French Revolution. Related manuscripts include Pierpont Morgan Library Ms. M. 755 and New York Public Library Ms. 1.
Principal cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934
Cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934
Editor: Herbert, Lynley
Editor: Noel, William
Copy editor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Noel, William
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Toth, Michael B.
Conservator: Owen, Linda
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
Greene, Belle da Costa and Meta P. Harrsen. The Pierpont Morgan Library Exhibition of Illuminated Manuscripts. New York: Private print, 1934, p. 6, no. 11.
Wixom, W. "Twelve Masterpieces of Medieval and Renaissance Book Illumination: A Catalogue to the Exhibition: March 17 - May 17, 1964." Vol. 51. Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1964, pp. 43-45, no. 1.
Miner, Dorothy. "Since de Ricci - Western Illuminated Manuscripts Acquired since 1934: A Report in Two Parts: Part 1". XXIX-XXX. Journal of the Walters Art Gallery. 1966:68-103.
Korzus, Bernard. Kunst und Kultur im Weserraum, 800-1600; Ausstellung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen. Vol. 2. Münster in Westfalen, 1966, pp. 477-478, cat. no. 164, fig. 162 (fol. 3v).
Randall, Lillian M.C. Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery, 1984, pl. 1.
Calkins, Robert G. A Medieval Treasury: An Exhibition of Medieval Art from the Third to the Sixteenth Century. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, Andrew Dickson White Museum of Art, 1968, pp. 114-115, no. 23.
Phillipps, Sir Thomas. The Phillipps Manuscripts: Catalogus librorum manuscriptorum in bibliotheca D. Thomae Phillipps, bt. London: Holland Press, 1968, no. 14122.
Schardt, Alois J. Das Initial: Phantasie und Buchstabenmalerei des frühen Mittelalters. Berlin: Rambrandt-verlag, 1938, pp. 58-61.
Miner, Dorothy E. The New Purple Gospel Manuscript. 5 no. 3. Bulletin of the Walters Art Gallery, 1952, pp. 1, 3-4.
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, pp. 198-199, no. 567.
Queens College. The World as Symbol: an Exhibition of Medieval Art. Flushing: Paul Klapper Library, 1959, p. 26, no. 82.
Corvey, Germany
Third quarter of the 10th century CE
book
Non-original Binding
Modern English crushed dark blue morocco by W.H. Smith and Son, first half of the twentieth century; gold tooled outer fillet and lettering, which read "EVANGELIORUM FRAGMENTA MS. SAEC. IX;" inside: wide borders of morocco with triple fillet gold tooled; vellum doublure and flyleaves
The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.
Written in the Monastery of Corvey on the Weser River in Germany ca. 940-975, during the reign of Otto I, based on style and paleography
Originally part of a Gospel Book belonging to the Chapter Library of the Cathedral of Rheims until the French Revolution, now Ms. 10 in the Rheims Municipal Library
Sir Thomas Phillips, London, ca. 1855
A. Chester Beatty, acquired privately from Phillips collection in December, 1920
Walters Art Museum, Oct. 1952, from Mrs. Chester Beatty through Maggs Brothers
Corvey, Germany
Third quarter of the 10th century CE
book
The primary language in this manuscript is Latin.
Written in the Monastery of Corvey on the Weser River in Germany ca. 940-975, during the reign of Otto I, based on style and paleography
Originally part of a Gospel Book belonging to the Chapter Library of the Cathedral of Rheims until the French Revolution, now Ms. 10 in the Rheims Municipal Library
Sir Thomas Phillips, London, ca. 1855
A. Chester Beatty, acquired privately from Phillips collection in December, 1920
Walters Art Museum, Oct. 1952, from Mrs. Chester Beatty through Maggs Brothers
This manuscript consists of four folios from a Gospel Book that was likely made at the monastery of Corvey in Western Germany during the last quarter of the tenth century. Dating to the reign of Otto I, these pages are a magnificent example of early Ottonian manuscript illumination. The heavily ornamented pages, which introduce the Gospels of Luke and John, shine with gold and jewel-like colors against dyed purple grounds. These pages combine monumental classicizing square capitals on purple grounds with rich and complex interlace. This fragment contains the opening pages of Luke (fols. 93-94) and John (fols. 137-138) that were originally part of Rheims, Bibliothèque Municipale, Ms. 10, a Gospel Book originally owned by the Chapter Library of the Cathedral of Rheims until it was confiscated, along with the rest of the cathedral's manuscripts, during the French Revolution. Related manuscripts include Pierpont Morgan Library Ms. M. 755 and New York Public Library Ms. 1.
Principal cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934
Cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934
Editor: Herbert, Lynley
Editor: Noel, William
Copy editor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Bockrath, Diane
Contributor: Emery, Doug
Contributor: Noel, William
Contributor: Tabritha, Ariel
Contributor: Toth, Michael B.
Conservator: Owen, Linda
Conservator: Quandt, Abigail
Greene, Belle da Costa and Meta P. Harrsen. The Pierpont Morgan Library Exhibition of Illuminated Manuscripts. New York: Private print, 1934, p. 6, no. 11.
Wixom, W. "Twelve Masterpieces of Medieval and Renaissance Book Illumination: A Catalogue to the Exhibition: March 17 - May 17, 1964." Vol. 51. Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1964, pp. 43-45, no. 1.
Miner, Dorothy. "Since de Ricci - Western Illuminated Manuscripts Acquired since 1934: A Report in Two Parts: Part 1". XXIX-XXX. Journal of the Walters Art Gallery. 1966:68-103.
Korzus, Bernard. Kunst und Kultur im Weserraum, 800-1600; Ausstellung des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen. Vol. 2. Münster in Westfalen, 1966, pp. 477-478, cat. no. 164, fig. 162 (fol. 3v).
Randall, Lillian M.C. Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery, 1984, pl. 1.
Calkins, Robert G. A Medieval Treasury: An Exhibition of Medieval Art from the Third to the Sixteenth Century. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, Andrew Dickson White Museum of Art, 1968, pp. 114-115, no. 23.
Phillipps, Sir Thomas. The Phillipps Manuscripts: Catalogus librorum manuscriptorum in bibliotheca D. Thomae Phillipps, bt. London: Holland Press, 1968, no. 14122.
Schardt, Alois J. Das Initial: Phantasie und Buchstabenmalerei des frühen Mittelalters. Berlin: Rambrandt-verlag, 1938, pp. 58-61.
Miner, Dorothy E. The New Purple Gospel Manuscript. 5 no. 3. Bulletin of the Walters Art Gallery, 1952, pp. 1, 3-4.
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, pp. 198-199, no. 567.
Queens College. The World as Symbol: an Exhibition of Medieval Art. Flushing: Paul Klapper Library, 1959, p. 26, no. 82.
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