This highly illuminated 11th-century manuscript contains the four
Gospels with prologues by St Jerome (b. 347, d. 420) and Eusebius
of Caesarea (b. 260, d. 339), Eusebian canons and a capitulare
evangeliorum , assigning pericopes from the Gospels to most feasts
of the liturgical year. It is one of seven extant Gospel-books that
were produced at the Benedictine abbey of St Willibrord at
Echternach in the second and third quarter of the 11th century
(Nordenfalk, Codex Caesareus Upsaliensis (1971), p. 4 2 ). The
manuscript is highly illuminated, including 10 full-page miniatures
and 5 full-page initials in gold. Its programme of decoration can
especially be compared to Harley MS 2821 and Paris, Bibliothèque
nationale de France, MS lat. 10438, two Gospel-books from
Echternach Abbey (see Boeckler, Das Goldene Evangelienbuch (1933),
pp. 44-46; Klemm, ‘Evangeliar’ (2006), II, p. 378). Contents:
ff. 3r-6v: St Jerome, Epistula ad Damasum Papam (Letter of Jerome
to Pope Damasus); Argumentum ; and a Prologue to the Gospels. ff.
6v-7r: Eusebius of Caesarea, Epistola Eusebii de Canonibus
Evangeliorum (Letter of Eusebius on the Gospel Canons). ff. 7v-15r:
Eusebian canons. ff. 15v-16r: St Jerome, Prologue to the Gospel of
Matthew.ff. 16r-18v: A table of contents for the Gospel of Matthew.
ff. 20v-56v: The Gospel of Matthew. ff. 56r-57v: St Jerome,
Prologue to the Gospel of Mark. ff. 57v-58v: A table of contents
for the Gospel of Mark. ff. 60v-83v: The Gospel of Mark. ff.
84r-84v: St Jerome, Prologue for the Gospel of Luke. ff. 85r-86v: A
table of contents for the Gospel of Luke. ff. 88v-130v: The Gospel
of Luke. ff. 130v-131v: St Jerome, Prologue to the Gospel of John.
ff. 131v-132v: A table of contents for the Gospel of John. ff.
134v-168r: The Gospel of John. ff. 168v-177r: Lections from the
Gospels for feasts throughout the liturgical year ( capitulare
evangeliorum ). [f. 177v is empty].Decoration:10 full-page
miniatures in colours and gold. The subjects of the miniatures are
as follows:f. 1v: Christ in Majesty (in a mandorla), seated and
holding a book, the symbols of the four Evangelists in the corners.
f. 2r: A clerk protected by an archdeacon, bowing towards Christ,
presenting a book. f. 19v: St Matthew, seated, writing his Gospel.
f. 20r: The Annunciation. f. 59v: St Mark, seated, holding a book.
f. 60r: The Nativity. f. 87v: St Mark, seated, presenting a scroll.
f. 88r: The Crucifixion. f. 133v: St John, seated, holding a book,
looking up. f. 134r: The Ascension. 5 full-page foliate initials or
combinations of initials in gold with blue, green and red inside
the letter, in golden and coloured frames with purple grounds (ff.
3r, 21r, 61r, 89r, 135r); 4 large foliate initials in gold against
a ground of blue, green and red in coloured or golden frames with a
purple ground (ff. 15v, 16r, 57r, 58r); numerous large and medium
foliate initials in gold against a ground of blue, green and red
throughout the manuscript; 5 full-page golden and coloured frames
with incipits of the Gospels in gold (chrysography) on a purple and
green ground (ff. 2v, 20v, 60v, 88v, 134v); 11 small golden and
coloured frames with incipits and explicits in gold against on a
green ground (ff. 15v, 16r, 56v, 57v, 83v (2x), 84r, 84v, 130v
(2x), 131v). Canon tables framed by arches in purple, blue, green,
purple, red and gold (ff. 7v-15r). 5 purple pages for the opening
of the manuscript and Gospels (ff. 1r, 19r, 59r, 87r, 133r).
Running headings and references to the Eusebian canons in gold.
