AUTHOR: PATRON WAS OTTO III OR HENRY II

LANGUAGE: LATIN

DATE: 1010

PAGE #: 226

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.25 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: THE BAMBERG APOCALYPSE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT MANUSCRIPT OF THE STATE LIBRARY OF BAMBERG. SCHOLARS DATE THE BOOK TO AROUND 1010 AD. IN ADDITION TO JOHN’S BOOK OF REVELATION, THE CODEX ALSO CONTAINS A GOSPEL BOOK. THE SECOND PART OF THE MANUSCRIPT PRESENTS THE TEXTS OF THE GOSPELS RECITED DURING MASS, LIMITED TO THE MOST IMPORTANT FEASTS OF THE LORD AND OF THE SAINTS. THE CONTENT WAS NOT TAILORED TO LITURGICAL EVERYDAY PRACTICE.

ONE MAIN SCRIBE AND TWO FURTHER HANDS WROTE THE CODEX ON THE ISLAND OF REICHENAU ON LAKE CONSTANCE. IT’S LUXURIOUS DECORATION MAKES IT ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY CREATIONS OF OTTONIAN BOOK ART. THE TEXT IS ILLUMINATED BY COUNTLESS INITIALS ORNAMENTED WITH SCROLLWORK. FIFTY LARGE MINIATURES OF GREAT EXPRESSIVENESS ACCOMPANY THE APOCALYPSE. THE GOSPEL BOOK CONTAINS FIVE CHRISTOLOGICAL SCENES. THE SECOND PART OF THE TEXT IS PRECEDED BY A DOUBLE-PAGE IMAGE OF A RULER: THE LEFT SHOWS A YOUTHFUL RULER, ENTHRONED BETWEEN THE APOSTLES PETER AND PAUL. BELOW, FOUR FEMALE FIGURES, WHO ARE IDENTIFIED AS ALLEGORIES OF VARIOUS PEOPLE, BEAR GIFTS. THE TRIUMPH OF VIRTUES OVER VICES IS VISUALISED ON THE FACING PAGE. THE ILLUMINATIONS HAVE BEEN ATTRIBUTED TO THE SO-CALLED LIUTHAR GROUP OF REICHENAU MANUSCRIPTS. IT IS BELIEVED THAT OTTO III WAS THE PRIMARY PATRON BUT THE APOCALYPSE WAS LEFT UNFINISHED DUE TO HIS DEATH, HENRY II WAS THEN ABLE TO COMPLETE THIS MANUSCRIPT. EMPEROR HENRY II AND HIS WIFE CUNIGUNDE OF LUXEMBOURG DONATED THE MANUSCRIPT TO THE CHURCH OF THE BAMBERGER KOLLEGIATSTIFT ST. STEPHAN ON ITS CONSECRATION.

LINK TO THE MUSEUM ON REICHENAU ON THE ISLAND OF REICHENAU.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.