Bible: MS 289.I

Titles

Bible

Maker(s)

Artists: Masters of Zweder van Culemborg
Artists: other artists (unidentified)
Binder: Cockerell Bindery

Entities

• Bible

Categories

• Illuminated manuscript
• Manuscript

Description

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Parchment, i contemporary parchment flyleaf + 533 fols. + ii contemporary parchment flyleaves, 217 x 155 (133 x 95) mm, ruled in pink ink, 2 columns, 29 lines, running headers, quire signatures, catchwords.

BINDING: fifteenth century, doeskin chemise, red leather (replacement of 1987) over wooden boards, five metal bosses on each cover, two catchplates on upper cover, slits in chemise and remains from two clasps on lower cover, arms of Lochorst held by angel painted on all three edges; repaired and rebound by the Cockerell bindery in 1987.

CONTENTS: fol. 1v Contemporary list of contents in red ink; fols. 2v – 9v St Jerome, Prologue, Frater Ambrosius; fols. 9v – 10v St Jerome, Prologue to Genesis, Desiderii mei; fol.s 11r – 12v Capitula; fols. 13r – 532r Bible, Gen – Par, with prologues..

DECORATION: Sixteen column framed miniatures and 10 historiated initials, often related in subject-matter, with full or partial foliate bar borders and/or floral, acanthus and spraywork borders for books and prologues: fol. 2r Jerome’s Prologue, St Jerome in his study, four angels holding shields of arms (erased) in border; fol. 9v Jerome’s Prologue to Gen, St Jerome standing at lectern with open book; fol. 12v Gen, Moses conversing with God; fol. 13r Gen, [I, 16 ll.] God blessing, 6 medallions in border representing the days of Creation (without Adam and Eve); fol. 72v Exod, God addressing Moses and three followers; fol. 121v Lev, Moses and Israelites offering calf at altar; fol. 122r Lev, [V, 7 ll.] Winged horse; fol. 156r Num, God within a walled city speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai; fol. 201r Deut, [V, 6 ll.] Moses enthroned with sceptre; fol. 205r Jos, Joshua separating the waters of Jordan; fol. 248r Jos, God addressing Joshua and his men; fol. 276v Judges, Joshua on his deathbed, Israelites discussing his successor, God announcing that it will be Judah; fol. 306r Ruth, Elimelech, Naomi and their two sons travelling; fol. 311v Prologue to Kings, [V, 6 ll.] St Jerome at his desk; fol. 313v I Kings, Elkanah and his two wives at altar; fol. 314r I Kings, [F, 9 ll.] Elkanah between his two wives, Hannah lamenting; fol. 354r II Kings, Saul’s suicide on Mount Gilboa, Amalekite holding his hand, and [F, 8 ll.] Amalekite holding Saul’s body, wild man holding club and blowing long trumpet in border; fol. 387r III Kings, Abishag brought to David; fol. 425v IV Kings, Elija at King Ahaziah’s deathbed, Elija carried to heaven in flaming chariot, Elisha receiving his mantle, and [C, 7 ll.] Falling idol; fol. 461r Prologue to Par, [E, 10 ll.] St Jerome reading at desk; fol. 462r I Par, David praying to God enthroned and judging souls among cherubim and [A, 9 ll.] Man reading; fol. 493r II Par, Solomon praying to God at altar and [C, 9 ll.] Solomon enthroned and attended by counsellor.

ORNAMENTATION: Blue or pink white-patterned initials [4 – 8 ll.] with foliate infill on gold grounds for some biblical books and prologues; blue initials [1 – 2 ll.] with red pen-flourished infill and extensions; capitals highlighted in red.

Notes

History note: Made for a member of the prominent Utrecht family of Lochorst (arms on edges); given by Sarah and Robert Wight to Maria Mathews in 1866, and by her to her sister Ann Byam Wight in 1871 (inscriptions on paper inserts formerly in manuscript, now kept on file); Rev. E.S. Dewick (1844 – 1917); his bequest, 1917.