The metropolitan samples on the East of Empire: notes about the style of the earliest illuminated Bible (Paris. syr. 341)
https://doi.org/10.15829/2686-973X-2020-3-23
Abstract
The article is devoted to some aspects of the iconographic program (the theme of the pious king, the glorification of the name of Jesus) and artistic features (plasticity of figures, spatiality, coloristic richness) of the Syrian manuscript of the Old and New Testament from the collection of the National Library of France (Paris. syr. 341). The manuscript is long and well known among the researchers because of some of its individual miniatures and iconographic types (the Virgin Nicopeia in the composition of Allegory of Wisdom), stylistic affinity with other manuscripts of Syrian origin (the Gospel of Rabbula, the later inserted miniature of 6th century in the manuscript dated 586). However, the parallels to iconography and style of the miniatures, despite the difference in technology and sizes, can be found in the mosaics of Italy of the same period, from Ravenna to Naples. This similarity allows to assume that patrons and artists of this manuscript were familiar with the capital’s culture and art of the Imperial court, and the time of creation of the manuscript to specify as the middle — the second half of the 6th century.
Keywords
Syria,
miniature,
Paris manuscript,
Old Testament,
Allegory of wisdom,
Ravenna,
prophet,
Emperor,
iconography
About the Author
М. A. Makhanko
Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Maria A. Makhanko, PhD in art history, senior editor, Ecclesiastical-scientific center “Orthodox encyclopedia”, Moscow Patriarchate
Moscow
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For citations:
Makhanko М.A. The metropolitan samples on the East of Empire: notes about the style of the earliest illuminated Bible (Paris. syr. 341). Russian Journal of Church History. 2020;1(3):67-82. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15829/2686-973X-2020-3-23
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