The Rabbula Gospels, or Rabula Gospels, (Florence, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, cod. Plut. I, 56) is a 6th-century illuminatedSyriacGospel Book. One of the finest Byzantine works produced in Asia, and one of the earliest Christian manuscripts with large miniatures, it is distinguished by the miniaturist's predilection for bright colours, movement, drama, and expressionism. Coming from a period from in which little art survived, and which saw great development in Christian iconography, the manuscript has a significant place in art history, and is very often referred to.
Folio 13v of the Rabbula Gospels contains a miniature of the Ascension.
Recent scholarship has suggested that the manuscript completed in 586 was later partly overpainted by restorers and bound together with miniatures from other sources in the 15th or 16th century.[1]
The Gospel was completed in 586 at Monastery of St. John of Zagba (Syriac: ܒܝܬ ܙܓܒܐ, Bēṯ Zaḡbā), which, although traditionally thought to have been in Northern Mesopotamia, is now thought to have been in the hinterland between Antioch and Apamea in modern Syria. It was signed by its scribe, Rabbula (ܪܒܘܠܐ, Rabbulā) about whom nothing else is known. In their current condition the folios are 34 cm (13.4 in) by 27 cm (10.6 in). Their original size is unknown because they were trimmed during previous rebindings. The text is written in black or dark brown ink in two columns of a variable number of lines. There are footnotes written in red ink at the bottom of many of the columns. The text is the Peshitta version of the Syriac translation of the Gospels.
The manuscript is illuminated, with the text framed in elaborate floral and architectural motifs. The Gospel canons are set in arcades ornamented with flowers and birds. The miniaturist obviously drew some of his inspiration from Hellenistic art (draped figures), but relied mainly on the ornamental traditions of Persia. The miniatures of the Rabbula Gospels, notably those representing the Crucifixion, the Ascension and Pentecost, are real pictures with a decorative frame formed of zigzags, curves, rainbows and so forth. The scene of the Crucifixion is the earliest to survive in an illuminated manuscript, and shows the Eastern form of the image at the time. There is a miniature of the Apostles choosing a new twelfth member (after the loss of Judas); this is not an event found in the Canonical Gospels (though it is mentioned in Chapter 1 of Acts) and is almost never seen in later art. The artist was trained in the classical illusionist tradition, and is a competent and practiced hand rather than an outstanding talent; but surviving images from this period are so rare that his are extremely valuable for showing the style and iconography of his age.
Folio 4v of the Rabbula Gospels showing the canon tables, harmonization of the four gospels, with marginal miniatures.
The French Orientalist Edgard Blochet (1870–1937) argued that some of the folios of the manuscript, including the pictorial series, were an interpolation no earlier than the 10th or 11th century. Since the original caption accompanying the miniatures is of the same paleographic character as the main text of the manuscript, this theory was rejected by Giuseppe Furlani and by Carlo Cecchelli in the commentary of the facsimile edition of the miniatures published in 1959.[2] But doubts as to the original unity of the contents continued.[3] More recently, scholars have proposed that the text of 586 was only bound up together with the miniatures in the 15th century, and that the miniatures themselves were taken from at least one other original manuscript, and come from two different campaigns of work.[1]
The history of the manuscript after it was written is vague until the 11th century when it was at Maipuc-Byblos, Lebanon. In the late 13th or early 14th century it came to Quannubin. In the late 15th or early 16th century, the manuscript was taken by the Maronite Patriarch to the Laurentian Library in Florence, where it is today.
The manuscript has served during Medieval Age as register of Maronites Patriarches (Elias Kattar),[4]
Large miniatures
fol. 1a
fol. 1b
fol. 2a Christ receives a book from two monks (dedication) /
^Wright, David H. "The Date and Arrangement of the Illustrations in the Rabbula Gospels." Dumbarton Oaks Papers 27 (1973): 197-208. Web., JSTOR
^"Holy Spirit University of Kaslik | لبنان الوسيط عهد السلاطين المماليك". www.usek.edu.lb. Retrieved 2017-11-23.
Further reading
Bernabò, Massimo, ed., Il Tetravangelo di Rabbula. Firenze, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana, plut. 1.56: L'illustrazione del Nuovo Testamento nella Siria del VI secolo, Rome: Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura, 2008.
Weitzmann, Kurt, ed., Age of spirituality : late antique and early Christian art, third to seventh century, no. 445, 1979, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, ISBN9780870991790; full text available online from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries
Walther, Ingo F.; Wolf, Norbert (2005), Codices Illustres: The world's most famous illuminated manuscripts, 400 to 1600, Köln: Taschen.
Weitzmann, Kurt (1977), Late Antique and Early Christian Book Illumination, New York: George Braziller.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rabula Gospels (BML Plut.1.56).
The manuscript page-by-page online 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
Blog with up-to-date bibliography
Grove Dictionary of Art (Rabbula Gospels)
January 12, 2023
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The Rabbula Gospels or Rabula Gospels Florence Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana cod Plut I 56 is a 6th century illuminated Syriac Gospel Book One of the finest Byzantine works produced in Asia and one of the earliest Christian manuscripts with large miniatures it is distinguished by the miniaturist s predilection for bright colours movement drama and expressionism Coming from a period from in which little art survived and which saw great development in Christian iconography the manuscript has a significant place in art history and is very often referred to Folio 13v of the Rabbula Gospels contains a miniature of the Ascension Recent scholarship has suggested that the manuscript completed in 586 was later partly overpainted by restorers and bound together with miniatures from other sources in the 15th or 16th century 1 Contents 1 Description 2 Large miniatures 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksDescription Edit The earliest crucifixion in an illuminated manuscript from the Rabbula Gospels The Gospel was completed in 586 at Monastery of St John of Zagba Syriac ܒܝܬ ܙܓܒܐ Beṯ Zaḡba which although traditionally thought to have been in Northern Mesopotamia is now thought to have been in the hinterland between Antioch and Apamea in modern Syria It was signed by its scribe Rabbula ܪܒܘܠܐ Rabbula about whom nothing else is known In their current condition the folios are 34 cm 13 4 in by 27 cm 10 6 in Their original size is unknown because they were trimmed during previous rebindings The text is written in black or dark brown ink in two columns of a variable number of lines There are footnotes written in red ink at the bottom of many of the columns The text is the Peshitta version of the Syriac translation of the Gospels The manuscript is illuminated with the text framed in elaborate floral and architectural motifs The Gospel canons are set in arcades ornamented with flowers and birds The miniaturist obviously drew some of his inspiration from Hellenistic art draped figures but relied mainly on the ornamental traditions of Persia The miniatures of the Rabbula Gospels notably those representing the Crucifixion the Ascension and Pentecost are real pictures with a decorative frame formed of zigzags curves rainbows and so forth The scene of the Crucifixion is the earliest to survive in an illuminated manuscript and shows the Eastern form of the image at the time There is a miniature of the Apostles choosing a new twelfth member after the loss of Judas this is not an event found in the Canonical Gospels though it is mentioned in Chapter 1 of Acts and is almost never seen in later art The artist was trained in the classical illusionist tradition and is a competent and practiced hand rather than an outstanding talent but surviving images from this period are so rare that his are extremely valuable for showing the style and iconography of his age Folio 4v of the Rabbula Gospels showing the canon tables harmonization of the four gospels with marginal miniatures The French Orientalist Edgard Blochet 1870 1937 argued that some of the folios of the manuscript including the pictorial series were an interpolation no earlier than the 10th or 11th century Since the original caption accompanying the miniatures is of the same paleographic character as the main text of the manuscript this theory was rejected by Giuseppe Furlani and by Carlo Cecchelli in the commentary of the facsimile edition of the miniatures published in 1959 2 But doubts as to the original unity of the contents continued 3 More recently scholars have proposed that the text of 586 was only bound up together with the miniatures in the 15th century and that the miniatures themselves were taken from at least one other original manuscript and come from two different campaigns of work 1 The history of the manuscript after it was written is vague until the 11th century when it was at Maipuc Byblos Lebanon In the late 13th or early 14th century it came to Quannubin In the late 15th or early 16th century the manuscript was taken by the Maronite Patriarch to the Laurentian Library in Florence where it is today The manuscript has served during Medieval Age as register of Maronites Patriarches Elias Kattar 4 Large miniatures Editfol 1a Election of the Apostle Mathias by the Eleven fol 1b Theotokos Virgin Mary with the infant Jesus fol 2a Christ receives a book from two monks dedication The saints Eusebius of Caesarea and Ammonius of Alexandria fol 3b 12b The canon tables of Eusebius with smaller marginal miniatures fol 9b Matthew and John fol 13a Crucifixion of Christ Three Marys at the tomb fol 14a Ascension of Christ Christ with four monks fol 14b Gift of the Holy Spirit at PentecostSee also Edit Bible portalSyriac versions of the Bible Codex Phillipps 1388 Garima Gospels Nestorian Evangelion Depiction of JesusReferences Edit a b Peers Glenn Review of Bernabo see Further reading Miniatures from the Rabbula Gospels ms Wright David H The Date and Arrangement of the Illustrations in the Rabbula Gospels Dumbarton Oaks Papers 27 1973 197 208 Web JSTOR Holy Spirit University of Kaslik لبنان الوسيط عهد السلاطين المماليك www usek edu lb Retrieved 2017 11 23 Further reading EditBernabo Massimo ed Il Tetravangelo di Rabbula Firenze Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana plut 1 56 L illustrazione del Nuovo Testamento nella Siria del VI secolo Rome Edizioni di Storia e Letteratura 2008 Weitzmann Kurt ed Age of spirituality late antique and early Christian art third to seventh century no 445 1979 Metropolitan Museum of Art New York ISBN 9780870991790 full text available online from The Metropolitan Museum of Art Libraries Walther Ingo F Wolf Norbert 2005 Codices Illustres The world s most famous illuminated manuscripts 400 to 1600 Koln Taschen Weitzmann Kurt 1977 Late Antique and Early Christian Book Illumination New York George Braziller External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rabula Gospels BML Plut 1 56 The manuscript page by page online Archived 2016 03 04 at the Wayback Machine Blog with up to date bibliography Grove Dictionary of Art Rabbula Gospels Homepage des Bistums Speyer mit Kommentaren zu einzelnen Bildern Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rabbula Gospels amp oldid 1098397340, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
