Nor are these all that could be named, for by no means least among them
we may quote Monte Cassino, many of whose elegant productions have been
published by the present occupants of the monastery. Then the Greek
miniaturists of the eleventh century are once more to the front. The
famous Slav Evangeliary of Ostromir (1056-67) shows us a MS. probably
executed for a governor of Novgorod, which contains by no means
despicable work, whether in the figures of the evangelists or the
ornamental borders. Of course, in Greek MSS. we know pretty well what to
expect; fairly good ornament, rich details of embroidery, etc.,
wilfulness of colour in architecture, mannerism in the attitudes and
faces, but good, clever technic and bright gold.
Lastly, there is the celebrated Evangeliary given to San Benedetto of
Mantua by the Countess Matilda now in the Vatican, enriched with little
miniatures from the Life of the Virgin, which Lanzi declares surpass
everything else he ever saw of the same period.
The Poitevin MS. at Poitiers, a biographical compilation of saints in
honour of St. Radegonde, though nothing wonderful, is worth recording as
a transitional example just before the close of the century. As an
example of the latter part of a continual deterioration, it should be
worse than anything preceding. Yet it is not so. It is certainly heavy
and rather dull, and the drawing far from excellent, but it is also, on
the other hand, far from "frankly horrible." In introducing examples of
other schools into this chapter the writer's object has solely been to
vindicate the illuminators of the eleventh century from the sweeping
charge sometimes made against them of absolute deterioration. Of the
school directly under our notice, the charge is certainly not true, and
the wretched stuff cited in support of it can only be looked upon as
accidental salvages of no artistic value whatever.
In proof that the book-work of the eleventh century was not all
worthless, we may refer to just one example. It is a MS. consisting of
but a few fragments executed at Luxeuil under Abbat Gerard II. The
remains are such as to cause regret for the loss of the rest. On one
page Christ is shown seated on a rich _sella_ covered with an
embroidered cushion in the manner of the consular diptychs. He is
clothed in a pale yellow tunic, over which is worn a purple pallium with
a white border. He is beardless, and his brown hair is kept close to the
head and neck, and falls over the shoulders. The feet are nude and by no
means ill-drawn. Surrounding the head is a cruciform nimbus enclosed in
a circle--both cross and circle being pale green, the latter outlined
with red. The chief fault of the head is the excessive length of the
nose and the wide stare of the eyes. The right arm is raised somewhat as
in the St. Sernin Evangeliary, but with the palm outwards, and much
superior in drawing.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account