Precious Bernward Gospels
The Precious Bernward Gospel is a handwritten , richly decorated gospel book in the Hildesheim Cathedral Museum . It was created as the Bernwards von Hildesheim Foundation for the establishment of St. Michael , more precisely for the St. Mary's altar consecrated in 1015 in the crypt under the west choir, which he had chosen as a burial place.
Content and jewelry
The gospel book consists of 232 parchment sheets in the format 28 x 20 cm and a binding made of two oak wood lids, which are decorated with pictures, silver fittings and gems . It contains the Vulgate text of the four Gospels with various prefaces and a list of pericopes .
The gospel book owes the attribute “precious” above all to the splendid binding, which Bernward had already designed in an elaborate manner and which was decorated with additional decorations around the time of his canonization in the 12th century. In the middle of the front cover is a Byzantine icon made of ivory with a relief depiction of Christ between the intercessing Mary and John the Baptist ( Deësis motif). The humble supplications on the frame of this picture as well as on the fittings on the back cover, which surround a picture of the Virgin and Child, mention Bernward by name.
The double-sided dedication picture protrudes from the illuminations inside. It shows in arched architectural frames on the left an altar prepared for the Eucharist , on which or past which Bernward, depicted on the side in the liturgical vestments, presents the Gospel to the Blessed Mother. This appears on the right side, facing the viewer, as of angels winning Nikopoia with like a little adult illustrated son on her lap. The inscriptions describe the action again with pious and humble words and Bernwards named.
Each Gospel is preceded by three or four pictures in opaque color painting, the last of which shows the evangelist symbol, while the preceding ones revolve around the respective theme of salvation history , which was assigned to the evangelist by tradition ( Gregory the Great , Alcuin, etc.): Christ Incarnation (Matthew) , Resurrection (Mark), sacrificial death (Luke) and exaltation (John). The initials are also lavishly decorated .
literature
- Michael Brandt / Ulrich Kuder: suction. Precious Gospels , in: Bernward von Hildesheim and the age of the Ottonians , Vol. 2, Hildesheim 1993, pp. 570-578
- Bernhard Bruns: The epiphany image in the Precious Gospel of St. Bernward , in: The Diocese of Hildesheim in the past and present 61 (1993) 11-19.
- Bernhard Bruns: The dedication image in the Precious Gospel Book of St. Bernward , in: The Diocese of Hildesheim in the past and present 65 (1997) 29-55.