Codex aureus Gnesnensis
The Codex aureus Gnesnensis ( German Golden Book of Gniezno , Polish Złoty Kodeks Gnieźnieński ) is an evangelist from the second half of the 11th century. It probably originated in a monastery in Bohemia (or Bavaria?). The codex is now in the Archbishop's Archives in Gniezno .
description
The book consists of 111 parchment sheets , is richly colored and written with golden capital letters (so-called Codex Aureus ). It contains the texts of the Gospels ( pericopes ) for the liturgical readings of the entire church year. There are also twenty full-page miniatures and a cover decorated with gold. This was most likely made in the 16th century by the Poznan artist Erazm Kamyn.
The Codex is very similar to the Codex Vyssegradensis , which is clearly recognizable by the type of miniature painting and the font used, both books were designed with relevant uncials and the same abbreviations . The Gnesen Codex, however, is entirely written in gold ink, whereas the Vyšehrad work is only "gilded" on a few selected sheets.
history
The Codex aureus Gnesnensis, like the Codex Vyssegradensis and the Codex Aureus Pultoviensis, was probably created in a monastery in Bohemia. In art history this is referred to as the (presumed) Prague Miniator School . The design of the codices shows strong influences from the St. Emmeram monastery in Regensburg ( Codex aureus of St. Emmeram ). Therefore, an emergence in Bavaria cannot be completely ruled out.
The codex was first mentioned in Poland in 1603. When and how he got there is unknown. Different possibilities are:
- The Codex aureus was commissioned by the Piasts from a Bohemian (or Bavarian) scriptorium , possibly on the occasion of the coronation of Bolesław II in 1076.
- One of the wives of King Władysław I. Herman - Judyta Przemyślidka († 1086) from the Czech Republic or Judith from Hungary from Bavaria - brought the codex with her to Gniezno.
- The codex came to Gniezno in the 12th century for the newly built Cathedral of the Assumption and St. Adalbert .
- Vratislav II made the "Golden Book of Gniezno" a gift to the Piasts .
The Codex aureus Gnesnensis and the Codex Aureus Pultiviensis may have come to Poland together.
literature
- Roman Michałowski: Princeps fundator. Studies z dziejów culture politycznej w Polsce X-XIII wieku. Warsaw 1993.
- Tadeusz Dobrzeniecki: Codex Aureus Gnesnensis. Commentarii. Warsaw 1988.
- Władysław Semkowicz: Paleografia łacińska. Krakow 2002.
- Jerzy Strzelczyk : Codex aureus of Gniezno (01/26/01). In: Alfried Wieczorek , Hans-Martin Hinz (eds.): European Center around 1000. Catalog volume for the Council of Europe exhibition in Berlin, among others, 2000–2002. Theiss, Stuttgart 2000, catalog pp. 520-521.
- Michał Sołomieniuk (Ed.): Ewangelistarz. Złoty kodeks gnieźnieński / Evangelistarium. Codex aureus Gnesnensis , Krakow 2016.
Web links
- Three illustrations and the cover of the Codex on the pages of the Archbishop's Archives
- University of Copenhagen, Care and Conservation of Manuscripts: The 11th-century Gniezno Codex Aureus (meeting in April 2014)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Władysław Semkowicz: Paleografia łacińska. Krakau 2002, p. 282 f.