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Saint Petersburg Bede

December 15, 2023

The Saint Petersburg Bede (Saint Petersburg, National Library of Russia, lat. Q. v. I. 18), formerly known as the Leningrad Bede, is an Anglo-Saxon illuminated manuscript, a near-contemporary version of Bede's 8th century history, the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People). Although not heavily illuminated, it is famous for containing the earliest historiated initial (one containing a picture) in European illumination.[1] It is so named because it was taken to the Russian National Library of Saint Petersburg in Russia at the time of the French Revolution, by Peter P. Dubrovsky.

Folio 3v from the Saint Petersburg Bede

Dating edit

Traditionally, the Saint Petersburg Bede is attributed on palaeographic grounds to Bede's monastery at Wearmouth-Jarrow. It is also traditionally dated to 731/732 × 746 on the basis of the so-called Memoranda, a series of retrospective dates found in the margins of Bede's recapitulo in Book V Chapter 24. The validity of these Memoranda (and similar notes in the Moore Bede) as evidence for the precise year in which the manuscript was copied has been vigorously challenged. While it may not be possible to assign the manuscript to a specific year, it seems unlikely that it was copied much after the middle of the eighth century.

Physical description edit

 
The Saint Petersburg Bede contains the oldest historiated initial known, from the 8th century (shown above)

The manuscript is written on parchment. It contains 162 folios (numbered 161, but with f. 51 repeated—the correct foliation is given on the last folio in the bottom right corner). Pages average approximately 270 × 190 mm (Writing Space: 230 × 150 mm in two columns of 27 lines). The pages have been trimmed at some point. The manuscript has been copied by four hands, with textual "accessories" (colophons, chapter numbers, and the like) in a fifth (Parkes 1982, 6-11).

The opening three letters of Book 2 of Bede are decorated, to a height of 8 lines of the text, and the opening h contains a bust portrait of a haloed figure carrying a cross and a book. This may be intended to be St. Gregory the Great, although a much later hand has identified the figure as St. Augustine of Canterbury in the halo. The figure is identified as a saint, rather than Christ, by his clerical tonsure.[2] Although the letter decoration is essentially Insular in style, the figure shows Mediterranean influence, as do other elements of the illuminations, such as the foliate decoration filling in the B shown above.

Contents edit

The Saint Petersburg Bede contains one of the two oldest surviving examples of the "m-type" text of the Latin Historia ecclesiastica (Colgrave and Mynors 1969, xliv). The manuscript also contains one of two copies of the vernacular text of the Northumbrian aelda recension of Cædmon's Hymn in the bottom margin of "f. 107r" (actually f. 108r; see Cædmon's Hymn). The poem has been copied in the fourth hand of the main Latin text (Parkes 1982, 6).

Notes edit

  1. ^ Schapiro, p.199 & T. Voronova and A Sterligov, p. 198
  2. ^ Meyer Schapiro, p. 199 and pp. 212-214, For the view that it represents Gregory, see here.

Bibliography edit

 
The oldest historiated initial known, full page view

The Saint Petersburg Bede is a frequently studied manuscript. The following is a partial bibliography of significant studies and catalogue entries:

Re Illuminations:

  • Meyer Schapiro, The Decoration of the Leningrad Manuscript of Bede, in Selected Papers, volume 3, Late Antique, Early Christian and Mediaeval Art, 1980, Chatto & Windus, London, ISBN 0-7011-2514-4 (originally Scriptorium, xii, 2, (1958), also JSTOR etc.).
  • T. Voronova and A Sterligov, Western European Illuminated Manuscripts (in the St Petersberg Public Library), 2003, p198, Sirocco, London.

Re Texts:

  • Anderson, O. S. 1941. Old English material in the Leningrad manuscript of Bede's ecclesiastical history. Skrifter utgivna av Kungl. humanistiska vetenskapssamfundet i Lund/Acta reg. societatis humaniorum litterarum Lundensis, 31. Lund: Gleerup.
  • Arngart, O. S. 1952. The Leningrad Bede: an eighth century manuscript of the Venerable Bede's Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum in the Public Library, Leningrad. Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile, 2. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger.
  • ————. 1973. "On the dating of early Bede manuscripts". Studia Nordica 45: 47-52.
  • Bévenot, M. S. J. 1962. "Towards dating the Leningrad 'Bede'." Scriptorium 36: 366-9.
  • Colgrave, B. and R. A. B. Mynors 1969, Bede's ecclesiastical history of the English people. Oxford Medieval Texts. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. xliv.
  • Dobbie, E. v. K. 1937. The manuscripts of Cædmon's Hymn and Bede's Death Song with a critical text of the Epistola Cuthberti de obitu Bedæ. Columbia University Studies in English and Comparative Literature, 128. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 16–17.
  • Dobiache-Rojdestvensky, O. 1928. "Un manuscrit de Bède à Léningrad". Speculum 3: 314-21.
  • Gillert, K. 1880. "Lateinische Handschriften in Saint Petersburg". Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft für ältere deutsche Geschichtskunde 5: 243-625 [correctly 243-265]
  • Ker 1990. Catalogue of manuscripts containing Anglo-Saxon. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Art. 122.
  • Lowe 1934-, Codices latini antiquiores: a palaeographical guide to Latin manuscripts prior to the ninth century. Oxford: Clarendon Press. Art. 1621.
  • ————. 1958a. "A key to Bede's scriptorium: Some observations on the Leningrad Bede". Scriptorium 12: 182-90.
  • ────. 1958b. "An autograph of the Venerable Bede?" Revue Bénédictine 68: 200-2.
  • Meyvaert, P. 1961. "The Bede 'signature' in the Leningrad colophon". Revue Bénédictine 71: 274-86.
  • O'Donnell, D. P. 2005. Cædmon's Hymn, A multimedia study, edition, and witness archive. SEENET A. 7. Cambridge: D.S. Brewer. §§ 4.37-4.38.
  • ────. 2002. "The accuracy of the Saint Petersburg Bede." Notes and Queries 247: 4-6.
  • Parkes, M. B. 1982. The scriptorium of Wearmouth-Jarrow. Jarrow Lectures. Jarrow: [St. Paul's Rectory]. 5-12.
  • Robinson, F. C. and E. G. Stanley 1991. Old English verse texts from many sources: a comprehensive collection. Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile, 23. Copenhagen: Rosenkilde & Bagger. [Facsimile of "f. 107r" on pl. 2.3].
  • Staerk, A. 1910, Les manuscrits latins du Ve au XIIIe siècle conservés à la bibliothèque impériale de Saint-Pétersbourg, I. Petrograd: Publichnia Biblioteka. Art. 26. Art. xlii
  • Wright, D. H. 1961. "The date of the Leningrad Bede". Revue Bénédictine 71: 265-73.

External links edit

  • More information at Earlier Latin Manuscripts

December 15, 2023
saint, petersburg, bede, saint, petersburg, national, library, russia, formerly, known, leningrad, bede, anglo, saxon, illuminated, manuscript, near, contemporary, version, bede, century, history, historia, ecclesiastica, gentis, anglorum, ecclesiastical, hist. The Saint Petersburg Bede Saint Petersburg National Library of Russia lat Q v I 18 formerly known as the Leningrad Bede is an Anglo Saxon illuminated manuscript a near contemporary version of Bede s 8th century history the Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum Ecclesiastical History of the English People Although not heavily illuminated it is famous for containing the earliest historiated initial one containing a picture in European illumination 1 It is so named because it was taken to the Russian National Library of Saint Petersburg in Russia at the time of the French Revolution by Peter P Dubrovsky Folio 3v from the Saint Petersburg Bede Contents 1 Dating 2 Physical description 3 Contents 4 Notes 5 Bibliography 6 External linksDating editTraditionally the Saint Petersburg Bede is attributed on palaeographic grounds to Bede s monastery at Wearmouth Jarrow It is also traditionally dated to 731 732 746 on the basis of the so called Memoranda a series of retrospective dates found in the margins of Bede s recapitulo in Book V Chapter 24 The validity of these Memoranda and similar notes in the Moore Bede as evidence for the precise year in which the manuscript was copied has been vigorously challenged While it may not be possible to assign the manuscript to a specific year it seems unlikely that it was copied much after the middle of the eighth century Physical description edit nbsp The Saint Petersburg Bede contains the oldest historiated initial known from the 8th century shown above The manuscript is written on parchment It contains 162 folios numbered 161 but with f 51 repeated the correct foliation is given on the last folio in the bottom right corner Pages average approximately 270 190 mm Writing Space 230 150 mm in two columns of 27 lines The pages have been trimmed at some point The manuscript has been copied by four hands with textual accessories colophons chapter numbers and the like in a fifth Parkes 1982 6 11 The opening three letters of Book 2 of Bede are decorated to a height of 8 lines of the text and the opening h contains a bust portrait of a haloed figure carrying a cross and a book This may be intended to be St Gregory the Great although a much later hand has identified the figure as St Augustine of Canterbury in the halo The figure is identified as a saint rather than Christ by his clerical tonsure 2 Although the letter decoration is essentially Insular in style the figure shows Mediterranean influence as do other elements of the illuminations such as the foliate decoration filling in the B shown above Contents editThe Saint Petersburg Bede contains one of the two oldest surviving examples of the m type text of the Latin Historia ecclesiastica Colgrave and Mynors 1969 xliv The manuscript also contains one of two copies of the vernacular text of the Northumbrian aelda recension of Caedmon s Hymn in the bottom margin of f 107r actually f 108r see Caedmon s Hymn The poem has been copied in the fourth hand of the main Latin text Parkes 1982 6 Notes edit Schapiro p 199 amp T Voronova and A Sterligov p 198 Meyer Schapiro p 199 and pp 212 214 For the view that it represents Gregory see here Bibliography edit nbsp The oldest historiated initial known full page viewThe Saint Petersburg Bede is a frequently studied manuscript The following is a partial bibliography of significant studies and catalogue entries Re Illuminations Meyer Schapiro The Decoration of the Leningrad Manuscript of Bede in Selected Papers volume 3 Late Antique Early Christian and Mediaeval Art 1980 Chatto amp Windus London ISBN 0 7011 2514 4 originally Scriptorium xii 2 1958 also JSTOR etc T Voronova and A Sterligov Western European Illuminated Manuscripts in the St Petersberg Public Library 2003 p198 Sirocco London Re Texts Anderson O S 1941 Old English material in the Leningrad manuscript of Bede s ecclesiastical history Skrifter utgivna av Kungl humanistiska vetenskapssamfundet i Lund Acta reg societatis humaniorum litterarum Lundensis 31 Lund Gleerup Arngart O S 1952 The Leningrad Bede an eighth century manuscript of the Venerable Bede s Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum in the Public Library Leningrad Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile 2 Copenhagen Rosenkilde amp Bagger 1973 On the dating of early Bede manuscripts Studia Nordica 45 47 52 Bevenot M S J 1962 Towards dating the Leningrad Bede Scriptorium 36 366 9 Colgrave B and R A B Mynors 1969 Bede s ecclesiastical history of the English people Oxford Medieval Texts Oxford Clarendon Press p xliv Dobbie E v K 1937 The manuscripts ofCaedmon s HymnandBede s Death Songwith a critical text of theEpistola Cuthberti de obitu Bedae Columbia University Studies in English and Comparative Literature 128 New York Columbia University Press pp 16 17 Dobiache Rojdestvensky O 1928 Un manuscrit de Bede a Leningrad Speculum 3 314 21 Gillert K 1880 Lateinische Handschriften in Saint Petersburg Neues Archiv der Gesellschaft fur altere deutsche Geschichtskunde 5 243 625 correctly 243 265 Ker 1990 Catalogue of manuscripts containing Anglo Saxon Oxford Clarendon Press Art 122 Lowe 1934 Codices latini antiquiores a palaeographical guide to Latin manuscripts prior to the ninth century Oxford Clarendon Press Art 1621 1958a A key to Bede s scriptorium Some observations on the Leningrad Bede Scriptorium 12 182 90 1958b An autograph of the Venerable Bede Revue Benedictine 68 200 2 Meyvaert P 1961 The Bede signature in the Leningrad colophon Revue Benedictine 71 274 86 O Donnell D P 2005 Caedmon s Hymn A multimedia study edition and witness archive SEENET A 7 Cambridge D S Brewer 4 37 4 38 2002 The accuracy of the Saint Petersburg Bede Notes and Queries 247 4 6 Parkes M B 1982 The scriptorium of Wearmouth Jarrow Jarrow Lectures Jarrow St Paul s Rectory 5 12 Robinson F C and E G Stanley 1991 Old English verse texts from many sources a comprehensive collection Early English Manuscripts in Facsimile 23 Copenhagen Rosenkilde amp Bagger Facsimile of f 107r on pl 2 3 Staerk A 1910 Les manuscrits latins du Ve au XIIIe siecle conserves a la bibliotheque imperiale de Saint Petersbourg I Petrograd Publichnia Biblioteka Art 26 Art xlii Wright D H 1961 The date of the Leningrad Bede Revue Benedictine 71 265 73 External links editMore information at Earlier Latin Manuscripts Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Saint Petersburg Bede amp oldid 1177680835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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