Walters Ms. W.533, Acts and Epistles

W.533

Acts and Epistles

Acts and Epistles of the Apostles

Vernacular: Praxapostolos

This manuscript is one of the relatively few illustrated Byzantine copies of the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles. It consists of three parts produced at different dates. The New Testament text with its accompanying prefatory material (known as Euthalian apparatus, after the name of its supposed compiler Euthalius) was copied in the early twelfth century. Then, lists of readings were added at two stages in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries to facilitate their use in church. Some of the Epistles have lost the miniature that once marked their beginning. A couple of lost leaves were replaced in the sixteenth century.

Early 12th century CE (fols. 1-266, 269-313); 14th century CE (fols. 314-360); 15th century CE (fols. 267-268)

Eastern Mediterranean

Book

Scriptural

The primary language in this manuscript is Greek, Ancient (to 1453).

Parchment

Medium to heavy weight parchment for most of text, carefully prepared and with polished surfaces; fols. 267-268 of medium weight; fols. 314-360 lighter in weight and color

Foliation: i+360+i

Pencil foliation in upper center of rectos; ink foliation in upper right corners of rectos (with 141 omitted)

Formula: 1-20(8), 21(10,-4,-8), 22-30(8), 31(10,-2,-8), 32(10,-2,-8), 33(8), 34(6), 35(8), 36-37(6), 38-39(8), 40(8,-8), 41-43(8), 44(6,-3), 45-46(8), 47-48(1)

Catchwords: None

Signatures: Quires 1-40 have signatures on the last folio of each quire, in lower right corners of versos, in Greek letters in light brown ink; traces of two other systems remain; one of these may have been written by the original scribe; no signatures on quires 41-48

Comments: Quires begin on fols. 1(1), 9(2), 17(3), 25(4), 33(5), 41(6), 49(7), 57(8), 65(9), 73(10), 81(11), 89(12), 97(13), 105(14), 113(15), 121(16), 129(17), 137(18), 145(19), 153(20), 161(21), 169(22), 177(23), 185(24), 193(25), 201(26), 209(27), 217(28), 225(29), 233(30), 241(31), 249(32), 257(33), 265(34), 271(35), 279(36), 285(37), 291(38), 299(39), 307(40), 314(41), 322(42), 330(43), 338(44), 343(45), 351(46), 359(47), and 360(48).

16.6 cm wide by 23.2 cm high

fols. 1r - 313v: 12.0 cm wide by 18.0 cm high

fols. 314r - 360v: 10.5 cm wide by 17.6 cm high

fols. 1r - 313v:

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 25

fols. 314r - 360v:

1. Columns: 1
2. Ruled lines: 29

fols. 1r - 313v:

1. Title: Acts and Epistles of the Apostles
2. Contents: Fols. 1r-89r: Acts of the Apostles; fols. 89r-131r: Catholic Epistles; fols. 89r-v: Preface to James; fols. 90r-98r: James; fols. 98r-99r: Preface to 1 Peter; fols. 99r-107v: 1 Peter; fols. 107v-108v: Preface to 2 Peter; fols. 108v-114r: 2 Peter; fols. 114r-115v: Preface to 1 John; fols. 115v-124v: 1 John; fols. 124v-125r: Preface to 2 John; fols. 125r: Chapters list for 2 John; fols. 125r-126r: 2 John; fols. 126r-v: Preface to 3 John; fol. 126v: Chapters list for 3 John; fols. 126v-128r: 3 John; fols. 128r-v: Preface to Jude; fols. 128v-131r: Jude; fols. 131r-313v: Pauline Epistles; fols. 131r-133v: Preface to Romans; fols. 133v-163; Romans; fols. 163v-165r: Preface to 1 Corinthians; fols. 165r-194v: 1 Corinthians; fols. 194v-195v: Preface to 2 Corinthians; fols. 195v-216r: 2 Corinthians; fols. 216r-v: Preface to Galatians; fols. 216v-226v: Galatians; fols. 226v-227v: Preface to Ephesians; fols. 227v-238r: Ephesians; fols. 238v-239r: Preface to Philippians; fols. 239r-246v: Philippians; fols. 246v-247v: Preface to Colossians; fols. 254v-255v: Preface to 1 Thessalonians; fols. 255v-261v: 1 Thessalonians; fols. 261v-262v: Preface to 2 Thessalonians; fols. 262v-265v: 2 Thessalonians; fols. 265v-266v: Preface to 1 Timothy; fols. 266v-267r: Chapters list for 1 Timothy; fols. 267v-275r: 1 Timothy; fols. 276r-v: Chapters list for 2 Timothy; fols. 276v-282r: 2 Timothy; fol. 283r: Chapters list for Titus; fols. 283r-286v: Titus; fols. 286v-287r: Preface to Philemon; fols. 286v-287r: Chapters list for Philemon; fols. 287r-288r: Philemon; fols. 288v-289r: Preface to Hebrews; fols. 291r-313v: Hebrews
3. Hand note: Most of the manuscript is copied by a single hand, but the hand that copied fols. 267–268 also added the last entry of the Menologion on fol. 360v, and is therefore later; it is very similar to London, British Library Burney 49, ca. 1430.

fols. 314r - 360v:

1. Title: List of liturgical readings from the Acts and Epistles
2. Contents: Fols. 314r-337r: list of Acts and Epistles readings for the movable feasts with troparia for feast days and psalm verses that accompany the lections; fols. 337v-360v: list of readings for the immovable feasts, again with troparia and psalm verses
3. Hand note: Copied by a single hand, except for the last entry on fol. 360v

fol. 1r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Acts of the Apostles
3. Form: Half-page miniature, ornamented headpiece
4. Text: Acts 1:1-4
5. Label: Christ blessing the Apostles
6. Comment:

   The text of Acts opens here with a small image of Christ blessing the Apostles (see a similar image in Baltimore, Walters Art Museum Ms. W.522, fol. 1r), fitted within an ornamented headpiece. The text itself begins without a title, and the rubrics in the upper margin are now illegible.

fol. 89r:

1. 
2. Title: St. James the Apostle
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Comment:

   St. James the Brother of the Lord is portrayed here as the author of the first Catholic Epistle. He wears episcopal vestments because the tradition identifies him as the first bishop of Jerusalem. The text next to his image is not the actual text of the Epistle but an explanatory preface to it, usually attributed to the obscure fourth-century Christian author Euthalius.

fol. 98r:

1. 
2. Title: St. Peter the Apostle
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Comment:

   Peter is recognizable here from his white hair and rounded beard. He holds a small volume that evidently contains the text of his epistles.

fol. 107v:

1. 
2. Title: St. Peter
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Comment:

   Unlike the image on fol. 98r, here Peter holds a scroll, a historically more accurate depiction of the original form of his epistle (letters would be rolled up, tied with a cord, and sealed).

fol. 116r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the First Epistle of John
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 1 John 1:1-5
5. Label: The Apostle John
6. Comment:

   John faces the beginning of his epistle's text, which is here entitled "Evangelic Theology of Christ." The rubric in the upper margin explains that this passage is read in church on May 8, the feast day of St. John the Apostle.

fol. 125r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Second Epistle of John
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 2 John 1:1-3
5. Label: St. John the Apostle
6. Comment:

   This page contains the end of the preface to the Second Epistle of John, a short table of contents for it, and the beginning of the Epistle itself. Notice that the preface and chapters list are written in capital letters, unlike the biblical text, which is in regular minuscule script.

fol. 127r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Third Epistle of John
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 3 John 1:1-8
5. Label: St. John the Apostle

fol. 129r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle of Jude
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Jude 1:1-5
5. Label: St. Jude the Apostle

fol. 133v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Romans
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Romans 1:1-7
5. Label: St. Paul the Apostle
6. Comment:

   A red decorative line marks the beginning of the Pauline Epistles (which in Byzantine manuscripts usually follow the Catholic ones). St. Paul in the miniature is easily recognizable from his balding forehead and painted beard. Notice that the scribe has embellished the first letter of his epistle (the "P" of "Paul") with a small drawing of a human face.

fol. 165r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the First Epistle to the Corinthians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 1 Corinthians 1:1-3
5. Label: St. Paul the Apostle and Sosthenes
6. Comment:

   This epistle was sent to the Corinthian Christians by St. Paul and Sosthenes: both are portrayed in the miniature which marks the beginning of its text.

fol. 216v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Galatians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Galatians 1:1-2
5. Label: St. Paul preaching to the Galatians

fol. 227v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Ephesians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Ephesians 1:1-5
5. Label: St. Paul the Apostle
6. Comment:

   Notice the remains of a protective cloth curtain that once covered the miniature.

fol. 239r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Philippians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Philippians 1:1
5. Label: St. Timothy and St. Paul the Apostle
6. Comment:

   St. Timothy was, according to tradition, the first bishop of Ephesus and for this reason wears episcopal garments on this miniature, where he is portrayed as co-author of the Epistle of St. Paul. The two look up toward heaven, their hands raised in prayer.

fol. 247v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Colossians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Colossians 1:1-5
5. Label: St. Timothy and St. Paul the Apostle

fol. 254v:

1. 
2. Title: Preface to the First Epistle to the Thessalonians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Label: St. Paul preaching to the Thessalonians
5. Comment:

   On this page the miniature precedes the preface to the Epistle rather than the Epistle itself.

fol. 255v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the First Epistle to the Thessalonians
3. Form: Historiated headband
4. Text: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-2
5. Label: SS. Silvanus, Paul, and Timothy

fol. 262v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Second Epistle to the Thessalonians
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4
5. Label: SS. Timothy, Silvanus, and Paul

fol. 276v:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Second Epistle to Timothy
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: 2 Timothy 1:1-4
5. Label: St. Paul the Apostle

fol. 283r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to Titus
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Titus 1:1
5. Label: St. Paul the Apostle

fol. 287r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to Philemon
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Philemon 1:1-7
5. Label: SS. Paul and Timothy
6. Comment:

   The miniature portrays Paul and Timothy as joint authors of the Epistle.

fol. 291r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the Epistle to the Hebrews
3. Form: Small framed miniature
4. Text: Hebrews 1:1-5
5. Label: St. Paul preaching to the Jews
6. Comment:

   A group of Jews, who wear no distinctive clothing, are being told by St. Paul about Christ, who is symbolically represented in heaven.

fol. 314r:

1. 
2. Title: Title page of the liturgical apparatus
3. Form: Ornamented headband

The binding is not original.

Early twentieth-century binding; blind-stamped polished calf leather over thin rounded wooden boards; raised endbands; flat spine; parchment pastedowns and flyleaves

Iviron Monastery, Mount Athos, Greece, no. 24 (seen there by S. Lampros, and by C. R. Gregory on March 17, 1902)

Henry Walters, Baltimore, acquired before 1931

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

Clark, Kenneth. A Descriptive Catalogue of Greek New Testament Manuscripts in America. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1937, pp. 365–367, pl. lx.

Clark, Kenneth. Eight American Praxapostoloi. Chicago: University of Chicago, 1941, pp. 20-22, 41-204, pl. iii.

Der Nersessian, Sirarpie. “The Praxapostolos of the Walters Art Gallery.” In Gatherings in Honor of Dorothy E. Miner, edited by Ursula E. McCracken et al., 39–50. Baltimore: Walters Art Gallery, 1974.

J. C. Anderson. "The Walters Praxapostolos and Liturgical Illustration." Deltion tēs Christianikēs Archaiologikēs Hetaireias, 4th ser., 19 (1996/97): 9-38.

Parpulov, Georgi. “A Catalogue of Greek Manuscripts at the Walters Art Museum.” Journal of the Walters Art Museum 62 (2004): 71-189.

Principal cataloger: Parpulov, Georgi R.

Cataloger: Walters Art Museum curatorial staff and researchers since 1934

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Joyal, Stephanie

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Emery, Doug; Joyal, Stephanie; Noel, William; Tabritha, Ariel; Toth, Michael B.

The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.