Art of the Bible

Dr Scot McKendrick is Head of Western Heritage Collections at the British Library, and Dr Kathleen Doyle is the Lead Curator, Illuminated Manuscripts at the same institution. Scot and Kathleen edited and contributed to 1,000 Years of Royal Books and Manuscripts (2013) and, with Professor John Lowden, Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination (2011), which was shortlisted for the William M.B. Berger Prize for British Art History (2012). Together they wrote Bible Manuscripts: 1,400 Years of Scribes and Scripture (2007), and contributed to Sacred: Books of the Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity and Islam (2007).

• Introduction: One Thousand Years of Art and Beauty The Bibles 1. The Golden Canon TablesCanon Tables of Eusebius of Caesarea, in Greek Constantinople, 6th or 7th century [Turkey]Glimpses of early Christian splendour in Constantinople 2. The Lindisfarne GospelsThe Four Gospels, in Latin, with added interlinear gloss in Old EnglishLindisfarne, c. 700 (added gloss, Chester-le-Street, c. 970) [UK]Spectacular Anglo-Saxon Ornament 3. The Vespasian PsalterPsalter, in Latin, with interlinear gloss in Old English Kent, 1st half of the 8th century [UK]The Earliest Narrative Initials in Western Europe 4. The Harley Golden GospelsThe Four Gospels, in LatinAachen?, Carolingian Empire, c. 800 [UK]The Gospels Written in Gold 5. The Canterbury Royal BibleBible, in Latin (incomplete, now comprising the Four Gospels only)Canterbury, 1st quarter of the 9th century, [UK]An Early Canterbury Bible 6. The Moutier-Granval BibleBible, in LatinTours, 2nd quarter of the 9th century [France]Symbolic Figurative Art 7. The Lothar PsalterPsalter, in LatinAachen, c. 842–55 [Germany]An Imperial Psalter 8. The Aethelstan or Coronation GospelsThe Four Gospels, in LatinLobbes, south of Brussels, last quarter of the 9th century, or 1st quarter of the 10th century [Belgium]A Royal Gift 9. Guest-Coutts New TestamentNew Testament, in GreekConstantinople, middle of 10th century[Turkey]An Illuminated New Testament from Constantinople 10. The Harley PsalterPsalter, in Latin (Psalms, incomplete)Canterbury, 1st half of the 11th century[UK]An Anglo-Saxon Masterpiece 11. The Old English HexateuchHexateuch (Genesis-Joshua), in Old EnglishCanterbury, 2nd quarter of the 11th century[UK]The Earliest Illustrated Western Vernacular Bible 12. The Harley Echternach GospelsThe Four Gospels, in LatinEchternach, middle of the 11th century[Luxembourg]Ottonian Imperial Style 13. The Tiberius PsalterPsalter, in Latin, imperfect, with Old English glossWinchester, 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 11th century[UK]A Grand Christological Cycle 14. Theodore PsalterPsalter, in GreekConstantinople, 1066[Turkey]A Byzantine Visual Commentary on the Psalms 15. The Silos ApocalypseRevelation and Beatus of Liébana’s commentary,St Jerome’s commentary on Daniel, in LatinSilos [Spain], 1091 (text) and 1109 (decoration)[Spain]A Spanish Vision of the Apocalypse 16. The Stavelot BibleBible, in LatinStavelot, near Liège, 1093–97[Belgium]Monumental Art 17. The Egerton Gospel LectionaryGospel Lectionary, in LatinGermany, c. 1100[Germany]Illuminating the Liturgy 18. The Burney GospelsThe Four Gospels, in GreekConstantinople, 10th century (script) and 2nd quarterof 12th century (portraits)[Turkey]An Imperial Tetraevangelion 19. The Psalter of Queen MelisendePsalter, in LatinJerusalem, between 1131 and 1143[Middle East]A Psalter for a Crusader Queen 20. The Winchester PsalterPsalter, in Latin and French with the Apostles Creedand some prayers in FrenchWinchester, England, middle of 12th century[UK]An Illustrated Bilingual Psalter 21. The Worms BibleBible, in LatinFrankenthal, near Worms, c. 1148[Germany]A Romanesque Giant Bible 22. The Floreffe BibleBible, in LatinMeuse valley, 2nd or 3rd quarter of the 12th century[Germany]Visual Biblical Exegesis 23. The Arnstein BibleBible, in LatinArnstein, Germany, c. 1172[Germany]A Grand Monastic Bible 24. The Harley Greek GospelsThe Four Gospels, in GreekCyprus or Palestine, late 12th century[Middle East]A Gospels to Aid Devotion 25. Syriac LectionaryGospel Lectionary, in SyriacMosul, between 1216 and 1220[Syria / Middle East]A Syrian Visualization of the Gospels 26. The Harley Bible moraliséeMoralized Bible (Maccabees and the New Testament),in Latin, Paris, 2nd quarter of 13th century[France]Royal Instruction 27. ApocalypseRevelation, with extracts from the commentaryof Berengaudus, in Latin, imperfectLondon or Westminster, c. 1260[UK]An English Illustrated Apocalypse 28. Bolognese BibleBible, in LatinBologna, c. 1280–1300[Italy]Italian Splendour 29. Gospel Lectionary of the Sainte-ChapelleGospel Lectionary, in LatinParis, last quarter of 13th century[France]Picturing the Gospels in Medieval Paris 30. The Queen Mary PsalterPsalter, in LatinLondon?, 1st quarter of 14th century[UK]Unprecedented Psalter Illustration 31. Welles ApocalypseRevelation, with commentary in Anglo-Norman French,bound with Peter of Peckham, La lumere as laisEngland, c. 1310[UK]Revelation in the Vernacular 32. Holkham Bible Picture BookBible Picture Book, with captions in Anglo-Norman FrenchLondon, c. 1320–30[UK]The Bible in Pictures 33. The St Omer PsalterPsalter, in LatinNorfolk, c. 1330 (with later additions)[UK]Glorious Marginal Imagery 34. Bible of Clement VIIBible, in LatinNaples, c. 1330–40[Italy]A Papal Bible 35. The Gospels of Tsar Ivan AlexanderThe Four Gospels, in Slavonic of Bulgarian characterTurnovo (?), 1355–56[Bulgaria]Slavonic Emulation of Byzantine Splendour 36. Bible historiale of Charles VBible historiale completée moyenne: Genesis to the Apocalypse, in FrenchParis, 1357[France]The Bible as History 37. Paduan Bible Picture BookBibbia istoriata: Exodus to Joshua, in ItalianPadua, c. 1390–1400[Italy]The Old Testament in Pictures 38. King’s Biblia pauperumBiblia pauperumThe Hague, c. 1395–1400[Netherlands]The Old Testament revealed in the New 39. The Great Bible of the Kings of EnglandBible, in LatinLondon, c. 1410–13[UK]A Late Medieval Giant Bible 40. Bible historiale of Charles of FranceGrande Bible historiale à prologues: Genesis to the ApocalypseParis, c. 1420[France]Learning Wisdom from the Bible 41. Dutch History BibleUtrecht Bible: Genesis to EstherUtrecht, c. 1440–45[Netherlands]Seeing Salvation in the Netherlands 42. Edward IV’s Bible historialeBible historiale: Tobit to Acts, in FrenchBruges, 1470 (script) and c. 1479 (illumination)[Belgium]A Bible fit for a King 43. The Gospels of Cardinal Francesco GonzagaThe Four Gospels, in GreekRome, 1478[Italy]A Renaissance Cardinal’s Gospel book 44. Armenian GospelsFour Gospels, in ArmenianIsfahan, 1608[Middle East]Painting the Gospels in Persia 45. Ethiopian Octateuch and GospelsOctateuch, Four Gospels and Apostolic Canons, in classical Ethiopic (Ge'ez)Gondar (?), late 17th century[Ethiopia]Reviving Former Ethiopian splendour Further ReadingIndex

'Sumptuous … spans 1,000 years and considers the history and significance of 45 illuminated biblical manuscripts, providing much insight into medieval Christian art' - Apollo