The development of this unique miniature codex held in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin, wisdom and knowledge center of the France of the thirteenth century.
In 1200 its own thumbnail, separate and original style, high quality, creating new formulas in the chapter and private devotional book unfolds.
While the teacher who graces the pages of this codex is unknown, the beautiful miniatures that illuminate are part of the so-called style 1200 French, characterized by using gold backgrounds of Byzantine influence, vivid colors and flat shapes, while maintaining some of own conventions of Romanesque. Some experts suggest that probably the 45 illuminated pages that decorate this codex were initially designed to illustrate the preamble of a psalter, hence a clear influence of the English psalters appreciate, although the reason is unknown which was not finally conducted.
Miniada Each page is divided into four scenes depicting stories from the Old and New Testaments, as well as accounts of the life and martyrdom of the saints. A total of 172 scenes on colored backgrounds gold and silver represent the cycle of salvation, beginning with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and ends with the final judgment.
Notably Folio 1v. a map of Jerusalem, of great beauty and uniqueness. Everything indicates that this map was added long after the whole work.
The text accompanying the miniatures was included after making them. Throughout the thirteenth century, the manuscript passed through several hands and was adding texts in Latin and French. This has prompted some scholars have hesitated to put a specific title to the codex, proposing "De Hebraeis et Christianis Chronicon" as the more correct. This fact, coupled with the originality of his models, makes this manuscript unique.
A beautiful green velvet binding safeguard the pages of this manuscript, dating from the eighteenth century. The brooches that have carved a double Garrison Greek cross.
The clear influence of Byzantine illuminations, and the reproaches and complaints against the court of Rome concerning the Second Crusade that appear in both the first and last page, suggest to some experts and also its last owner, Joseph Désiré Lupus, that this codex was made for the Byzantine emperor Manuel I Comnenus, nicknamed "El Grande" and famous for his charisma and his passion for the West, allowed passage through his dominions to two armies of the Second Crusade. While the Byzantine troops tried to control the behavior of the Crusaders, there were many violent clashes between Franks and Greeks who were about to precipitate open conflict between the Emperor Manuel I and the Crusaders.
This manuscript was part of the private collection of Joseph Désiré Lupus (1766-1822) until 1819, date on which King William I of purchase. In 1823 became part of the funds of the National Library of the Netherlands, where he currently remains.
Details of the inside pages.
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Date: End of XII century.
Location: Royal Library in The Hague, ms. 76F5.
Format: 255 x 165 mm.
Length: 94 pages.
Source: Saint-Omer, Abbey of St. Bertin. Northwestern France.
Lighting: 45 full-page miniatures.
Binding: green velvet with silver clasps.
Language: Latin and French.
Number: 333 of a single run of 695 copies
PRICE: 2000 €
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