Theophilus Presbyter

Theophilus Presbyter ( pseudonym , possibly Rogerus von Helmarshausen ; 12th century ) was a Benedictine monk and the author of a Latin script in which various handicraft techniques of the Middle Ages are presented in detail.

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The collection of writings he compiled is called “Schedula diversarum artium” (also “De diversis artibus” ) and was probably created between 1100 and 1120. The oldest surviving manuscript copies are in Vienna ( Austrian National Library , Cod. 2527) and in Wolfenbüttel ( Herzog August Bibliothek , Cod. Guelf. Gud. Lat. 69 2 °). Gotthold Ephraim Lessing rediscovered script as a librarian in Wolfenbüttel. A first German edition of parts of the work appeared in 1874. Modern translations of the Schedula exist a. a. in English, French, Polish, Italian and Hungarian (19th or 20th century).

Theophilus's Schedula enables detailed insights into the techniques of high medieval handicrafts. In a total of three parts, the production and use of painting and drawing materials ( painting techniques , colors and inks ), especially for book and wall painting , the production of colored glass and the technique of glass painting, are described and the various techniques of goldsmithing are explained. There are also instructions for building organs and bells. Bells cast according to these instructions are called Theophilus bells .

identity

It has long been assumed that Theophilus is identical to the priest-monk Rogerus von Helmarshausen . Recent research denies that.

Roger's life can be traced relatively well with the help of necrology: he probably came from the Maasland monastery of Stablo . He worked between 1100 and 1107 in St. Pantaleon in Cologne and after 1107 in the Helmarshausen monastery . His life dates are only approximately known (* around 1070, † after 1125 in Helmarshausen ). Whether he was then only the head of the existing goldsmith's workshop as a priest-monk or also worked as a goldsmith cannot be determined at the moment.

Works

• "De diversis artibus" or "Schedula diversarum artium" (in 3 books, Diversarum artium schedula sive de diversis artibus libri III , around 1125) online in excerpts ( Memento from February 4, 2012 in the Internet Archive )

Literature, editions and translations of the Schedula

• Gotthold Ephraim Lessing : From the age of oil painting from the Theophilus Presbyter. Bookshop of the Princely Waysenhaus, Braunschweig 1774, ( digitized ).
• Albert Ilg (Ed.): Theophilus Presbyter: Schedula diversarum artium (= sources for art history and art technology of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. 7, ZDB -ID 514181-3 ). Volume 1. Braumüller, Vienna 1874, ( digitized version ).
• Wilhelm Theobald (Hrsg.): Technique of the arts and crafts in the tenth century. The Theophilus Presbyter's 'Diversarum artium schedula'. Newly edited, translated and explained in a selection. VDI-Verlag, Berlin 1933 (later editions 1953 and 1981).
• Charles D. Dowell (translator): Theophilus: De Diversis Artibus. = The various arts. Translated from the Latin with introduction and notes. Nelson, London et al. 1961.
• Heinz Roosen-Runge: Theophilus's ink. In: Josef A. Schmoll called Eisenwerth , Marcell Restle , Herbert Weiermann (eds.): Festschrift Luitpold Dussler. Deutscher Kunstverlag, Munich et al. 1972, ISBN 3-422-00652-4 , pp. 87–112.
• Eckhard Freise : Roger von Heimarshausen in his monastic environment. In: Early Medieval Studies . Vol. 15, 1981, pp. 180-293, doi : 10.1515 / 9783110242140.180 .
• Bruno Reudenbach : "Ornatus materialis domus Dei". The theological legitimation of craftsmanship in Theophilus. In: Herbert Beck , Kerstin Hengevoss-Dürkop (Hrsg.): Studies on the history of European sculpture in the 12./13. Century. Volume 1: Text. Henrich, Frankfurt am Main 1994, ISBN 3-921606-25-X , pp. 1-16.
• Erhard Brepohl : Theophilus Presbyter and the medieval arts and crafts. 2 volumes (Volume 1: Painting and Glass. Volume 2: Goldsmith's Art . ). Böhlau, Cologne et al. 1999, ISBN 3-412-08698-3 .
• Christoph Stiegemann , Hiltrud Westermann-Angerhausen (Hrsg.): Treasure art at the rise of the Romanesque. The Paderborn Cathedral portable altar and its surroundings. Hirmer, Munich 2006, ISBN 3-7774-2905-8 .

Web links

• Theophilus presbyter in the repertory "Historical Sources of the German Middle Ages"
• Literature by and about Theophilus Presbyter in the catalog of the German National Library
• Selected chapters of the Schedula diversarum artium (Latin.)
• A. Ilg (ed.): Theophilus Presbyter. Schedula diversarum artium. in: Sources for Art History. Vol. VII. Vienna 1874.
• Research portal of the Thomas Institute of the University of Cologne with digitized full texts of the editions of Ilg (Latin / Ger.), Escalopier (Latin / French) and Dodwell (Latin / Eng.), As well as over 20 digitized manuscripts.