Gallery of Illuminated manuscript images revamp
editClassical and Late Antique manuscripts
editImage | Manuscript, shelfmark and folio number | Comments | |
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Romance Papyrus, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, cod. suppl. gr. 1294 | 2nd century. Greek. This is a rare surviving example of an illustrated scroll. Most classical scrolls, if they were illustrated at all were illustrated with smal quick unframed drawings inserted into the blocks of text, as seen here. This scroll contains a fragment of an unidentified Alexandrian Romance. | ||
Heracles Papyrus, Oxford, Sackler Library, Oxyrhynchus Pap. 2331. | 3rd century. Greek. This is another surviving illustrated scroll fragment with small drawings inserted into the block of texts. The illustrations are of the first labor of Heracles, the killing of the Nemean Lion. There is a fragment of an unidentified poem about the labors of Heracles on the papyrus. | ||
Vergilius Augusteus, Vatican Library, Vat. Lat. 3256, folio 3r. | 4th century. There are seven surviving leaves of this early Virgil manuscript. The manuscript is not illustrated but has decorated initial letters at the top of each page. These letters do not mark divisions of the text, but rather are used at the beginning of whatever line happened to fall at the top of the page and are the earliest surviving decorated initials. | ||
Johnson Papyrus, London, Wellcome Library, MS 5753 | 5th century. Oldest known surviving herbal illustration. | ||
Charioteer Papyrus, London, Egypt Exploration Society, s.n | Illustration from unknown work. | ||
Ambrosian Iliad, Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana, Cod. F. 205 Inf. | 5th century. The Ambrosian Iliad is the oldest surviving illustrated manuscript of Homer. This miniature shows Achilles sacrificing to Zeus. The manuscript survives as a set of illuminations cut from the manuscript. The illustrations are in late classical style and have an illusionistic presentation of space typical of that style. | ||
Vergilius Vaticanus, Vatican, Vatican Library, Cod. Vat. lat. 3225. Folio 22 recto | About 400. The Vergilius Vaticanus is one of the oldest and best preserved extant manuscripts of Virgil. This miniature shows the flight of Aeneas from Troy. | ||
Vergilius Romanus, Vatican, Vatican Library, Cod. Vat. lat. 3867. Folio 14 recto | 5th century. Author portrait of Virgil. | ||
Vergilius Romanus, Vatican, Vatican Library, Cod. Vat. lat. 3867. Folio 44 recto | 5th century. Rural scene. May be based on Roman floor mosaics. | ||
Vienna Dioscurides, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. med. gr. 1. Folio 5 verso | 6th century. Author portrait of Dioscurides | ||
Vienna Dioscurides, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. med. gr. 1. Folio 6 verso | 6th century. Donor portrait of Anicia Juliana. This is the oldest extant donor portrait. | ||
Vienna Dioscurides, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. med. gr. 1. Folio 148 verso | 6th century. Illustration of a violet | ||
Vienna Dioscurides, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. med. gr. 1 | 6th century. Illustration of Coral | ||
Vienna Dioscurides, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. med. gr. 1. Folio 483 verso | 6th century. Grid with illustrations of birds | ||
Corpus Argimesorum Romanorum, Wolfenbüttel, Herzog August Bibliothek, Cod. Guelff. 36.23 Augusteus 2. | 5th or 6th century. Illustration showing picture of an estate and a map of the same estate. | ||
Naples Dioscurides, Naples, Biblioteca Nazionale, Cod. Gr. 1, folio 90r. | 7th century. |
Early Christian manuscripts
editImage | Manuscript, Shelfmark and Folio number | Comments | |
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Quedlinburg Itala, Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Cod. theol. lat. fol. 485 | 5th century. The Quedlinburg Itala is the oldest surviving illustrated Latin biblical manuscript. Only fragments of the manuscript, which were used to reinforce book bindings survive. The miniaature here illustates chapter 15 of 1 Kings. | ||
Ashburnham Pentateuch, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS nouv. acq. lat. 2334, 6 recto | 5th century. The Ashburnham Pentateuch is a Latin manuscript of the first five books of the Bible. The miniature shown here illustrates the story of Cain and Abel. | ||
St. Augustine Gospels, Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Lib. MS. 286, 125 recto. | 6th century. The St. Augustine Gospels are a Latin copy of the four Gospels. The manuscript is thought to be on of the manuscripts to England by St. Augustine. This miniature shows scenes from the Passion. | ||
Codex Brixianus, Brescia, Biblioteca Civica Queriniana, s.n. | 6th century. Latin | ||
Codex Alexandrinus, London, British Library, MS Royal 1. D. V-VIII | 6th century. Greek | ||
Vienna Genesis, Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, cod. theol. gr.31, 12 verso | 5th century. Greek | ||
Sinope Gospels, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS gr. 1286 | 5th century. Greek | ||
Cotton Genesis, London, British Library, Cotton Otho B VI, Fragment 26 verso | 5th or 6th century. Greek | ||
Rossano Gospels, Rossano, Cathedral, Archiepiscopal Treasury, s.n. | 6th century. Greek | ||
London Canon Tables, London, British Library, Add. MS 5111 | 6th or 7th century. Greek | ||
Rabula Gospels, Florence, Biblioteca Mediceo Laurenziana, cod. Plut. I, 560, 13 verso. | 6th century. Syriac | ||
Syriac Bible of Paris, Paris, Bibliothèque Nationale, MS syr. 341, 8 recto. | 6th or 7th century. Syriac | ||
Codex Argenteus, Uppsala University Library| | 6th or 7th century. Gothic | ||
Old Testament fragment, Naples, Biblioteca Vittorio Emanuele III, 1 B 18 | 5th century. Coptic |
Insular manuscripts
editImage | Manuscript and Shelfmark | Folio | Date | Comments | |
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Cathach of St. Columba, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, s. n. | Early 7th century | Page of text, showing decorated initial. | |||
Cathach of St. Columba, Dublin, Royal Irish Academy, s. n. | Early 7th century | Detailt, showing decorated initial "Q". | |||
Bobbio Jerome, Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana MS S. 45. sup. | Page 2 | 7th century | Initial "N" | ||
Bobbio Orosius, Milan, Biblioteca Ambrosiana MS D. 23. Sup. | 1 verso | 7th century | Carpet page | ||
Gospel Book Fragment, Durham, Cathedral Library, MS A. II 10 | 3 verso | 7th century | Colophon to the Gospel of Matthew. | ||
Gospel Book Fragment, Durham, Cathedral Library, MS A. II 10 | 4 recto | 7th century | Incipt to the Gospel of Mark. | ||
Book of Durrow, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 57 | 7th century | Carpet Page | |||
Book of Durrow, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 57 | 7th century | Text page containg Chi Rho monogram at Matthew 1:18. | |||
Book of Durrow, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 57 | 86 recto | 7th century | Incipit to the Gospel of Mark. | ||
Book of Durrow, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 57 | 7th century | Symbol of Matthew the Evangelist. | |||
Durham Gospels, Durham, Cathedral Library, MS A.II.17 | Late 7th century. | Miniature of the Crucifixion | |||
Durham Gospels, Durham, Cathedral Library, MS A.II.17 | Late 7th century. | Incipit to the Gospel of John. | |||
Lindisfarne Gospels, London, British Library, Cotton MS Nero D. IV | 27 recto | Late 7th century or early 8th century. | Incipit to the Gospel of Matthew. | ||
Lindisfarne Gospels, London, British Library, Cotton MS Nero D. IV | Late 7th century or early 8th century. | Portrait of Matthew the Evangelist. | |||
Lindisfarne Gospels, London, British Library, Cotton MS Nero D. IV | 27 recto | Late 7th century or early 8th century. | Carpet Page | ||
Barberini Gospels, Vatican City, Vatican Library, Barberini Lat. 570 | 125 recto | 8th century | Incipit to Gospel of John | ||
Book of Dimma, Dublin, Trinity College, Dublin, MS.A.IV.23 | 8th century | Evangelist Portrait | |||
Echternach Gospels, Paris, Bibliotheque Nationale, MS Lat. 9389. | 8th century. | Lion, symbol of Mark the Evangelist | |||
Lichfield Gospels, Lichfield, Lichfield Cathedral, s.n. | 8th century | Portrait of Mark the Evangelist. | |||
Otho-Corpus Gospels, London, British Library, Cotton Otho C V | 27 recto | 8th century | Lion, symbol of Mark the Evangelist | ||
Tiberius Bede, British Library, MS Cotton Tiberius C. II | 60 verso | 8th century. | Zomorphic initial "A" | ||
Durham Cassiodorus, Durham, Cathedral Library, MS B. II. 30 | About 730 | Portrait of the David as a Victor. | |||
, | Leningrad Bede, Saint Petersburg, Russian National Library, Cod. Q. v. I. 18 | 3 verso | About 746. | First page of text, with large decorated initial "B". | |
Stockholm Codex Aureus, Stockholm, Kungliga Biblioteket, MS.A.135 | 11 recto | Mid-eighth century | Page of decorated text containing the chi-rho monogram at Mathew 1:18. | ||
Book of Mulling, Dublin, Trinity College Library MS A. I. 15 | 193 recto | Last half of the 8th century | Portrait of John the Evangelist. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 7 verso | Around 800 | Miniature of Madonna and Child. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 34 recto | Around 800 | Chi Rho monogram marking Mathew 1:18. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 34 recto | Around 800 | Detail of the Chi Rho monogram showing the complexity of the illumination. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 124 recto | Around 800 | Decorated text Tunc crucifixerant Xpi cum eo duos latrones. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 291 recto | Around 800 | Portrait of John the Evangelist. | ||
Book of Kells, Dublin, Trinity College Library, MS 58. | 292 recto | Around 800 | Incipit of the Gospel of John. | ||
Book of Cerne, Cambridge, University library, MS L1. 1. 10 | 9th century | Portrait of Mark the Evangelist | |||
Book of Nunnaminster, London, British Library, Harley Ms 2965 | 9th century | Page of text containing a zoomorphic initial 'd'. | |||
Breton Gospel Book, London, British Library, Egerton 609 | 8 recto | 9th century. | Incipit of the Gospel of Matthew. | ||
Book of Deer, Cambridge, University library, MS. II.6.32 | 29 verso | 10th century | Portrait of Luke the Evangelist |
NOTE - Prototype ends here, everything below this point is work in progress
Carolingian manuscripts
editEarly Spanish manuscripts
editChi Rho Gallery
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Book of Deer
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Durrow
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Kells
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Corpus Irish Gospel
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Stockholm Codex Aureus