Walters Ms. W.546, Gospels of Georg Alexief

W.546

Gospels of Georg Alexief

Gospel Book

This manuscript was created in the seventeenth century, perhaps in Constantinople, based on the style of its illumination. The Gospel cycle that precedes the text contains slightly more miniatures than is traditional; especially notable are the two—representing the feeding of the five thousand and the cleansing of the Temple—which come out of sequence at the end of the cycle. The miniatures in this manuscript, like many at this time, reflect the mingling of traditional Cilician and Western influences. Though the manuscript does not include a colophon, the signature of the painter, Hohannes, is visible on the bottom of the canon tables on fols. 29v-30r. This manuscript appears to have been well traveled: at some point, very small inscriptions in Greek were added to most of the miniatures; in 1883, it belonged to Georg Alexief of Moscow, according to a note in Russian on fol. 1r.

17th century CE

Constantinople (?)

As-written name: Hohannes

Book

Scriptural

The primary language in this manuscript is Armenian. The secondary languages of this manuscript are Greek, Modern (1453-), Russian.

Parchment

Parchment of medium weight, well finished on both sides. The top margins have been trimmed; the fore-edge and tail are reddened. Textile fragments were removed from the manuscript and stored separately in its box. Likely, they were curtains that once hung over the prefatory illuminations. They have not been digitized due to handling concerns.

Foliation: 273

Formula: 1(2), 2-3(8), 4(6), 5(10), 6-24(12), 25(9), 26(2)

Catchwords: None

Signatures: Quires are numbered from 1 to 20 by letters of the Armenian alphabet written in the lower margin on the first and last folios, beginning with fol. 46v; the number of the first quire is written only at the end (fol. 46v), that of the last quire only at the beginning (fol. 263r)

Comments: Quires begin on fols. 1, 3, 11, 19, 25, 35, 47, 59, 71, 83, 95, 107, 119, 131, 143, 155, 167, 179, 191, 203, 215, 227, 239, 251, 263, 272

10.3 cm wide by 15.0 cm high

6.8 cm wide by 10.2 cm high

1. Columns: 2
2. Ruled lines: 22
3. Hard-point ruling; layout does not apply to the prefatory materials (fols. 4v-23r), the Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus (fols. 25v-26r), or the canon tables (fols. 27v-34r)

fols. 1r - 273v:

1. Title: Gospel Book
2. Contents: Incomplete; Mark 16:9-20 and John 7:53-8:11 are not included; on the first page of each Gospel a versified quatrain written in the lower margin gives the explanation of the symbol used for each Evangelist (fols. 37r, 108r, 149r, 219r)
3. Decoration note: Twenty full-page illuminations at the beginning of the manuscript, fols. 4v-23r, preceding the Letter of Eusebius and the canon tables; full-page Evangelist portraits facing headpieces with Evangelist symbol opening the text; Letter of Eusebius and Canon Tables are framed by architectural decoration in gold, red, pink, blue, and green pigment with floral and zoomorphic motifs; marginal ornaments throughout the manuscripts consist of floral designs, palmettes, medallions, birds, trees, temples, and crosses; they usually indicate the beginning of the Gospel lessons; there are two Canon Tables on fols. 1v and 2r drawn in outline only, without the concordance numbers filled in, which probably did not belong to the original manuscript

fols. 4v - 23r:

1. Title: Prefatory materials
2. Decoration note: Twenty full-page miniatures

fols. 25v - 26r:

1. Title: Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus
2. Decoration note: Headbands and frames with floral designs, birds, and trees

fols. 27v - 34r:

1. Title: Canon tables
2. Decoration note: Frames illuminated with ornaments and interlace, flanked by trees, birds, animals, and monkey drolleries

fols. 36v - 269v:

1. Title: Gospels
2. Contents: Fols. 36v-106r: Gospel of Matthew; fols. 107v-147v: Gospel of Mark; fols. 148v-217r: Gospel of Luke; fols. 218v-269v: Gospel of John
3. Decoration note: Evangelist portraits fols. 36v, 107v, 148v, 218v; the opening page of each Gospel has a large headpiece with floral ornaments, birds, and sirens, accompanied by an arabesque; the initial of each opening line represents the symbol of the Evangelist: an angel for Matthew, a lion for Mark, an ox for Luke, and an eagle for John; the first line of Matthew is written in bird letters and ornate capitals, followed by three lines in gold erkat'agir; the first line of Mark is in ornate capitals; the second in gold, and the third and fourth in blue erkat'agir; the first line of Luke is formed by birds and ornate capitals; the remaining three lines are written in erkat'agir in gold, blue, and red ink respectively; the opening line of John is in ornate capitals; the following three lines in erkat'agir in gold, blue, and red colors; the last line in red bolorgir

fol. 4v:

1. 
2. Title: Annunciation; Joseph's dream
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Hail, thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee. Thou shall bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus.

fol. 5r:

1. 
2. Title: Nativity; Annunciation to the shepherds; Magi; Bathing of the Christ Child
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Saviour which is the anointed Lord.

fol. 6v:

1. 
2. Title: Flight into Egypt
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And Joseph took Mary and fled into Egypt, as the angel had told him

fol. 7r:

1. 
2. Title: Massacre of the Innocents
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Herod sent forth and slew the children that were in Bethlehem

fol. 8v:

1. 
2. Title: Presentation in the Temple
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   It is the temple, on the fortieth day.

fol. 9r:

1. 
2. Title: The Baptism
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And Jesus was baptized in the Jordan by John.

fol. 10v:

1. 
2. Title: The Transfiguration
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Let us make three tabernacles, one for the Lord, one for Moses, and one for Elias.

fol. 11r:

1. 
2. Title: The Raising of Lazarus
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead rising et cetera.

fol. 12v:

1. 
2. Title: Entry into Jerusalem
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And Jesus sat upon the ass and the colt (sic) and entered the holy city of Jerusalem.

fol. 13r:

1. 
2. Title: Washing of the feet
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And he poured water into a basin and washed the feet of the disciples.

fol. 14v:

1. 
2. Title: The Betrayal
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Judas said, "Hail Master," and kissed him, and then the soldiers laid hands upon him and seized him.

fol. 15r:

1. 
2. Title: Flagellation; Carrying of the Cross
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And having tied Jesus to a column they scourge him hard.

fol. 16v:

1. 
2. Title: Crucifixion
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   He is the wood of life for those who seek refuge in him.

fol. 17r:

1. 
2. Title: Entombment
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And they put Jesus in a tomb which was hewn out of a rock.

fol. 18v:

1. 
2. Title: Harrowing of Hell
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   He destroyed Hell and saved the souls.

fol. 19r:

1. 
2. Title: Ascension
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   Our Lord ascended in glory to the Father in Heaven.

fol. 20v:

1. 
2. Title: Pentecost
3. Form: Full-page miniature

fol. 21r:

1. 
2. Title: Last Judgment
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   It is the fearful day of the Judgment and the Second Coming of Christ.

fol. 22v:

1. 
2. Title: Feeding of the five thousand
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Comment:

   And they brought before Jesus the five loaves and the two fishes, and he distributed them to the five thousand.

fol. 23r:

1. 
2. Title: Cleansing of the Temple
3. Form: Full-page miniature

fol. 25v:

1. 
2. Title: Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus

fol. 26r:

1. 
2. Title: Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus

fol. 27v:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canon I

fol. 28r:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canon II

fol. 29v:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canons II and III
5. Comment:

   First part of the inscription, which continues on fol. 30r, reads, "Remember in the Lord Hohannes vardapet, the painter of the Gospel."

fol. 30r:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canons IV and V
5. Comment:

   Last part of the inscription, which begins on fol. 29v, reads, "Remember in the Lord Hohannes vardapet, the painter of the Gospel."

fol. 31v:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canons VI and VII

fol. 32r:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canons VIII and IX

fol. 33v:

1. 
2. Title: Canon table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canon X

fol. 34r:

1. 
2. Title: Canon Table
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Eusebian Canon X

fol. 36v:

1. 
2. Title: Portrait of the Evangelist Matthew
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Matthew's Gospel

fol. 37r:

1. 
2. Title: Opening of the Gospel of Matthew
3. Form: Decorated headpiece and historiated initial
4. Text: Matthew's Gospel

fol. 107v:

1. 
2. Title: Portrait of the Evangelist Mark
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Mark's Gospel

fol. 108r:

1. 
2. Title: Opening of the Gospel of Mark
3. Form: Decorated headpiece and historiated initial
4. Text: Mark's Gospel

fol. 148v:

1. 
2. Title: Portrait of the Evangelist Luke
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: Luke's Gospel

fol. 149r:

1. 
2. Title: Opening of the Gospel of Luke
3. Form: Decorated headpiece and historiated initial
4. Text: Luke's Gospel

fol. 218v:

1. 
2. Title: Portrait of the Evangelist John
3. Form: Full-page miniature
4. Text: John's Gospel

fol. 219r:

1. 
2. Title: Opening of the Gospel of John
3. Form: Decorated headpiece and historiated initial
4. Text: John's Gospel

The binding is original.

Dark brown leather over wooden boards, with a flap. The upper cover is stamped in gold with three-petal floral tools arranged in a lozenge around the center and placed in the corners of the main panel, which is also decorated by a rather random placement of small rosettes and seed-shaped tools. A border of interlace tools in blinds frame the cover. The lower corner has an even more random decoration of the same tools, original in gold but now much worn, and a frame of small quire interlace tools in blind. The flap is blind tooled with the seeds and rosettes, and diagonal lines. The spine is raised at the head and tail (repaired). The headbands are embroidered in tan and olive silk. There are traces of former attachments on the cover. The cover boards are lined with blue silk damask.

Georg Alexief of Moscow, March 30, 1883 (see notice in Russian, fol. 1r)

Walters Art Museum, 1931, by Henry Walters' bequest

Thanks are expressed to Professor Bernard Coulie (Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve) for kindly making available his bibliography on the Armenian manuscripts kept in the Walters Art Museum.

De Ricci, S. and W.J. Wilson. Census of Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts in the United States and Canada. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1935, p. 762, no. 30.

Der Nersessian, Sirarpie. Armenian Manuscripts in the Walters Art Gallery. Baltimore: The Trustees, 1973, pp. 69-75, no. IX, pl. G, figs. 389-426.

Sanjian, Avedis K. A Catalogue of Medieval Armenian Manuscripts in the United States. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1976, pp. 323-326.

Mathews, Thomas F., and Roger S. Wieck, eds. Treasures in Heaven: Armenian illuminated manuscripts. New York: Pierpont Morgan Library, 1994, pp. 154-155, no. 13, fig. 76.

Principal catalogers: Der Nersessian, Sirarpie; Landau, Amy; van Lint, Theo M

Catalogers: Herbert, Lynley; Noel, William

Editor: Herbert, Lynley

Copy editor: Dibble, Charles

Conservators: Owen, Linda; Quandt, Abigail

Contributors: Bockrath, Diane; Emery, Doug; 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.