The first volume of a Vulgate in two parts, containing the Book of Genesis to the Book of Job
Description
This 12th-century manuscript contains the first volume of an
illuminated Latin Vulgate in two parts. It contains the Book of
Genesis to the Book of Job with prologues that are attributed to St
Jerome (b. 347, d. 420) and tables of contents. The manuscript was
preserved at a religious house, as it features markers for
liturgical lections and a list of possessions of a church on f.
319v. It may originate from the Saint Maurice Cathedral of Angers
as indicated on the Harleian binding and the Harleian catalogue.
Contents: ff. 1r-29r: The Book of Genesis. ff. 29r-52r: The Book of
Exodus. ff. 52r-67r: The Book of Leviticus. ff. 67r-88r: The Book
of Numbers. ff. 88r-106v: The Book of Deuteronomy. ff. 106v-119r:
The Book of Joshua. ff. 119r-131v: The Book of Judges. ff.
132v-134r: The Book of Ruth. ff. 134r-150v: The Book of 1 Kings.
ff. 150v-164r: The Book of 2 Kings. ff. 164r-180r: The Book of 3
Kings. ff. 180r-195v: The Book of 4 Kings. ff. 195v-219r: The Book
of Isaiah. ff. 219r-248v: The Book of Jeremiah.ff. 248v-273v: The
Book of Ezekiel. ff. 273v-285r : The Book of Daniel.ff. 285r-288v:
The Book of Hosea. ff. 288v-290r: The Book of Joel.ff. 290r-293r:
The Book of Amos. f. 293r: The Book of Obadiah. ff. 293r-294r: The
Book of Jonah. ff. 294r-296r: The Book of Micah. ff. 296r-297r: The
Book of Nahumff. 297r-298r: The Book of Habakkuk. ff. 298r-299r:
The Book of Zephaniah. ff. 299r-300r: The Book of Haggai. ff.
300r-304r: The Book of Zechariah. ff. 304r-305v: The Book of
Malachi. ff. 305v-319v: The Book of Job. f. 319v: Glosses on the
Book of Job (beginning: ‘Hos sermones in aliud inveni
exemplar’; ‘Scriptum est autem eum resurrecturum’; and ‘Iob
exemplar patienciae. que non mysteria suo sermone
complectitur’).Decoration:9 large historiated initials in colours
and gold backgrounds and frames with foliate decoration and
interlace. The subjects of the historiated initials are as
follows:f. 2r: Creation scenes, at the beginning of Genesis.f. 30r:
Pharaoh addressing Moses and Aaron, at the beginning of Exodus.f.
68r: Moses in prayer before God, at the beginning of Numbers.f.
107v: God speaking to Joshua, at the beginning of Joshua.f. 131v:
Ruth standing, at the beginning of Ruth.f. 134v: David and Goliath,
at the beginning of 1 Kings.f. 195v: Isaiah writing, at the
beginning of Isaiah.f. 285v: A man lying in bed with a woman by his
side and God above, at the beginning of Hosea.f. 306r: Job on the
dungheap, at the beginning of Job.10 large initials in colours and
gold with foliate decoration, interlace, and occasionally hybrid
figures and naked human figures, birds (ff. 1r, 52v, 89v, 119v,
150v, 164v, 180v, 219r, 249r, 274r). 26 large initials in gold with
a combination of blue, red, green and ochre penwork (ff. 107r,
133r, 195v, 219r, 273v, 285r, 289r, 290r (x2), 293r (x3), 293v,
294r, 296r (x2), 297r (x2), 298r (x2), 299r, 299v, 300r, 304r (x2),
305v). 3 large initials in silver with blue and red penwork
decoration (ff. 248v, 288v, 294r), and 1 in gold, silver and blue
with red penwork decoration (f. 300r). Small plain initials in
blue, red, or brown (only f. 19v). Rubrics in red or blue. Roman
numerals in red. Manicules and faces added along the text in brown
ink (e.g., ff. 3r, 4v, 5r, 5v, 6r, 7r, 7v, 8r, 9r, 10r, 11r, 11v,
62r, 167r).
