Walters Ms. W.850, Ethiopian Gospels

Walters Ms. W.850, Ethiopian Gospels Prefatory cycle Four Gospels አርባዕቱ ወንጌላት። Concluding image cycle Introduction to Four Gospels መቅድመ፡ አርባዕቱ፡ ወንጌላት፡ Canon tables Gospel Book ወንጌል፡ ቅዱስ። Principal cataloger Getatchew Haile, . Cataloger Herbert, Lynley Contributor Bockrath, Diane Contributor Emery, Doug Contributor Isaac, Ephraim Contributor Noel, William Contributor Pizzinato, Riccardo Contributor Tabritha, Ariel Contributor Toth, Michael B. Conservator Owen, Linda Conservator Quandt, Abigail The Walters Art Museum

Licensed for use under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported Access Rights, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/legalcode. It is requested that copies of any published articles based on the information in this data set be sent to the curator of manuscripts, The Walters Art Museum, 600 North Charles Street, Baltimore MD 21201.

This large Ethiopian Gospel Book was made in the first half of the sixteenth century and is written in Gǝ‛ǝz, the traditional liturgical language of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. Containing eleven full-page miniatures, six canon tables, and five elaborately ornamented ḥarägs, or headpieces, this manuscript represents the golden age of what has been termed the Gunda Gunde style, named after a monastery in the district of Agame. The Gunda Gunde style is characterized by bold blocks of color defined by detailed and often delicate linear motifs. Figures are highly stylized and expressive, while the accompanying canon tables and ḥarägs are filled with intricate interlace and geometric forms. The manuscript is exceptionally well preserved, and is an excellent and rare example of Ethiopian illumination from one of its important artistic centers. Baltimore The Walters Art Museum W.850 The primary language in this manuscript is Geez. The secondary language of this manuscript is Amharic. 2r - 211v Gospel Book ወንጌል፡ ቅዱስ። Incomplete; contains text of four Gospels and introduction to them, but two folios of canon tables are missing በሥምረተ፡ አብ፡ ወወልድ፡ ወመንፈስ፡ ቅዱስ፡ ወጠንኩ፡ ወበትንብልናሃ፡ ለእግዝእትነ፡ ማርያም፡ ገበርኩ፡ . . . ለዝንቱ፡ መጽሐፍ፡ መጽሐፈ፡ ልደቱ፡ ለክርስቶስ፡ እምከርሥ፡ ወመጽሐፈ፡ ክስበቱ፡ እንበለ፡ ይትገሰስ፡ ወመጽሐፈ፡ ጥምቀቱ፡ በእደ፡ ዮሐንስ፡ በማየ፡ ዮርዳኖስ፡ . . . . . . ዘአጽሐፍከኒ፡ በጽሒቅ፡ ወበተአምኖ፡ አባ፡ እስ[ጢፋኖስ፡] ለመቃብረ፡ ኣቡነ፡ [effaced , possibly ኢሳይያስ፡] ለተዝካረ፡ አንስት፡ ወሮስ፡ ለዐቢይ፡ ዓዲ፡ ወለነዑስ፨ I started with the good will of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, And I proceeded with the intercession of Our Lady Mary, . . . This book, the book of the nativity of Christ from the womb, And the book of his circumcision without being touched, And the book of his baptism in the hand of John with the water of Jordan, . . . That you [God?] have me copied in diligence and trust in Abba Ǝsṭifanos [effaced, decipherable], For the tomb of Abunä [effaced, possibly Isayǝyyas], For the memory of women and children, And also the big and small (i.e. the old and the young). Colophon embedded at the end of a review of the content of the Gospels and written in a rhyming composition; name of the copyist and the year the manuscript was copied not given—only the day (25 Ab = Awgusṭos = 1 Ṗagwmen) 2r - 3r Prefatory cycle ሥዕለ፡ ሕፃናት፡ ዘዓመት፡ ወዘ፪ ዓመት፡ ወዘ፫ ዓመት፡ እለ፡ አቅተሎሙ፡ ሄሮድስ፡ No text except for image captions 4v - 195v Four Gospels አርባዕቱ ወንጌላት። መጽሐፈ፡ ልደቱ፡ ለእግዚእነ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ ወልደ፡ ዳዊት፡ ወልደ፡ አብርሃም፡ . . . Incomplete; fols. 5r-58r: Gospel of Matthew; fols. 58r-v: section headings for Mark; fol. 58v: concluding note on Matthew; fols. 61r-95r: Gospel of Mark; fol. 95r: concluding note on Mark; fols. 97r-152v: Gospel of Luke; fol. 152v: section headings for John; fol. 153r: concluding note on Luke; fols. 154r-195v: Gospel of John; fol. 195v: concluding note on John; text missing after fols. 20v (Mt. 11:2-21), 31v (Mt. 16:20-17:9), 43v (Mt.23:12-28), 51v (Mt. 26:21-48), 109v (Lk. 6:11-29), 140v (Lk. 20:17-39) 196v - 198v Concluding image cycle No text except for some image captions 199r - 207v Introduction to Four Gospels መቅድመ፡ አርባዕቱ፡ ወንጌላት፡ በስመ፡ አብ፡ . . . ንቀድም፡ በረድኤተ፡ እግዚአብሐር። ይትባረክ፡ ስሙ፡ ወይትለዐል፡ ዝክሩ፡ ዘእምኔሁ፡ ኲሉ፡ ሢመተ፡ ኀይል፡ ወቦቱ፡ ተፍጻሜተ፡ ኲሉ፡ ስእለት፨ ወኀቤሁ፡ ምብጻሓ፡ ኲሉ፡ አስተብቊዖት፡ በጽሕፈተ፡ መቅድመ፡ አርባዕቱ፡ ወንጌላት፡ ስቡሓን፡ ዐሠርቱ፡አቅማራት፡ . . . It is likely this text was moved from the front to the back of the manuscript 208r - 210v Canon tables Incomplete; two folios/4 tables missing; it is likely this text was moved from the front to the back of the manuscript; fol. 211v contains list of incipit verses in the Gospels

Heavy, thick parchment

Foliation: 21130.2 25.0 20.5 18.0 No flyleaves; modern pencil foliation upper right corners, rectos

1(6,-2,3,6), 2(12,-10,12), 3 (10,-2,8), 4(12,-3,9), 5(10,-1), 6(10,-4), 7(14,-1,4,5,10), 8(10,-10), 9(8), 10(8,-1), 11(12), 12(10,-10), 13(10,-5), 14(8), 15(12,-1), 16(10), 17(10), 18(10,-10), 19(10), 20(10), 21(8), 22(8,-7), 23(12,-11), 24(6,-2,4) None None Quires begin on fols. 1(1), 4(2), 14(3), 22(4), 32(5), 41(6), 50(7), 60(8), 69(9), 77(10), 84(11), 96(12), 105(13), 114(14), 122(15), 133(16), 143(17), 153(18), 162(19), 172(20), 182(21), 190(22), 197(23), and 208(24); Canon tables were likely moved to end from beginning of manuscript

Hard-point ruling Prefatory cycle with three full-page miniatures related to Christ's nativity; curtain over fol. 3r; image captions in red above and within images Full-page Evangelist portraits at the beginning of each Gospel (fols. 4v, 60v, 96v, and 153v), each approximately 23 lines high; Evangelists facing elaborate decorative frames for opening of Gospel text (fols. 5r, 61r, 97r, and 154r); full-page miniature of Transfiguration (fol. 59v); opening lines of Gospels in red and black ink; explicits accented by red and black dot and penwork designs Full-page miniatures of Mary and John (fol. 196v), the Crucifixion (fol. 197r), and the Ascension (fol. 198v); image captions in red and black Ornate columned framework around beginning of text; opening text in lines of red and black Eusebian numbers divided into columns ranging from four to eight per table; large framing arches enclosing smaller arches, ranging from four to seven, filled with elaborate interlace, cross patterns, and birds; arches supported by two or three unpainted pen-drawn columns; curtains on rods either tied around columns or hanging next to them; Eusebian numbers in black with occasional red numbers beside them Eleven full-page miniatures (two or three others now missing) including Evangelist portraits before each Gospel; six framed canon tables (two other folios with canons missing); five full-page colored ḥarägs, introducing each of the Gospels and the appendix; strong palette of red, blue, green, and yellow used for illuminations; rubrics, opening lines, punctuation, and margin ornaments in red and black; text in black ink Mary and Joseph with the Innocents massacred by King Herod Matthew 2:16 Full-page miniature

Inscription reads: "ሥዕለ፡ ሕፃናት፡ ዘዓመት፡ ወዘ፪ ዓመት፡ ወዘ፫ ዓመት፡ እለ፡ አቅተሎሙ፡ ሄሮድስ፡," or "Picture of the children of a year, two years and three years that had them killed."

The Magi and the shepherds Full-page miniature

Inscription reads: "ሥዕለ፡ ሰብአ፡ ሰገል፡ እለ፡ መጽኡ፡ እምርሁቅ፡ ከመ፡ ይስግዱ፡ ለወልደ፡ አምላክ፡," or "Picture of the Magi who came from far to worship the Son of God."

Virgin and Child flanked by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel, curtain closed Full-page miniature Virgin and Child flanked by the Archangels Michael and Gabriel Full-page miniature Portrait of the Evangelist Matthew Opening of Matthew's Gospel Full-page miniature The Evangelist is depicted as having already copied Mt 1:1-2. Transfiguration Full-page miniature Portrait of the Evangelist Mark Opening of Mark's Gospel Full-page miniature The Evangelist is depicted as having already copied Mk. 1:1-2. Portrait of the Evangelist Luke Opening of Luke's Gospel Full-page miniature The Evangelist is depicted as having already copied Lk. 1:1-2. Portrait of the Evangelist John Opening of John's Gospel Full-page miniature The Evangelist is depicted as having already copied Jn 1:1-2. Mary, Mother of Jesus and John the beloved disciple Full-page miniature Crucifixion Full-page miniature

Inscriptions read: "ሥዕለ፡ ስቅለቱ፡ ለእግዚእነ፡ ኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ።," or "Picture of the Crucifixion of Our Lord Jesus Christ," with the Gǝ‛ǝz translation of the label, "ኢየሱስ፡ ናዝራዊ፡ ንጉሦሙ፡ ለአይሁ[ድ፡]," "Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews" (Cf. Mt 27:37), posted at the top of the cross.

Ascension Full-page miniature

Inscription reads: "ሥዕለ፡ ዕርገቱ፡ ለኢየሱስ፡ ክርስቶስ፡ ሰማያተ፡ በደመና፡ ወዘከመ፡ ርእይዎ፡ አርዳኢሁ።," or "Picture of the Ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven with the cloud, and how the disciples watched him."

Canon table Eusebian Canon I Full-page miniature Canon table Eusebian Canon II Full-page miniature Canon table Eusebian Canon III Full-page miniature Canon table Eusebian Canon IV Full-page miniature Canon table Eusebian Canon V Full-page miniature Canon table Eusebian Canon VI Full-page miniature

Plain wooden boards, broken and stitched, front and back, with remains of leather on the upper board; chain stitching at six stations

First half of the 16th century CE Gunda Gunde, Tǝgray, Ethiopia Monastery at Gunda Gunde, northeastern Ethiopia, early- to mid-sixteenth century, based on painting style and palaeography Church of Madhane Alam in Majate, 1892-3, known from the endnote on fol. 95r, which gives a record in Amharic of a land grant to the church of Mǝğäte Mädḫane ‛Aläm, enacted in the Year of Matthew, 7385 Anno Mundi (=1885 EC=1892-3 CE) Private collection, France, prior to 1973 Sam Fogg Rare Books and Manuscripts, London Museum purchase, the W. Alton Jones Foundation Acquisition Fund, 1998 Relevant Works von Soden, H. Die Schriften des Neuen Testaments, vol. I. I. Berlin, 1902, pp. 405-411. Edition used for Mark section headings. Novum Testamentum Aethiopice: The Synoptic Gospels. General Introduction. Edition of the Gospel of Mark. Edited by Rochus Zuurmond. Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden, 1989. Edition used for Mark text. Novum Testamentum Aethiopice Part III. Edited by Rochus Zuurmond. Harrasowitz Verlag, Wiesbaden, 2001. Edition used for Matthew text. Ethiopian Art: The Walters Art Museum. Third Millennium Publishing, 2001, pp. 95, 104, 114; cat. no. 14 (fols. 153v-154r, 59v, 196v-197r); fig. 30 (fol. 60v). Mann, C. Griffith. "'May their prayers protect us:' Illuminating the Gospels in Sixteenth Century Ethiopia (W.850)." 62. Journal of the Walters Art Museum, 2004, pp. 195, 197; fig. 1 (fols. 60v-61r), fig. 3 (fols. 196v-197r). Mercier, Jacques. Vierges D'Éthiopie. Montpellier: L'Archange Minotaure, 2004, p. 122 (fols. 2r, 3r). Art Medicine Museum Poetry Script Muhammad, the Prophet Kashmiri Horses Walters Art Museum Document Astrology Devotion History Legal Literature -- Poetry Literature -- Prose Liturgy Philosophy Science Science -- Medicine Scripture Sufism Theology Mineralogy Logic Geography Geomancy Cosmology Cartography Fortune-telling Koran Qur`an Firman Palimpsest Prayer Bible Gospels Psalter Missal Lectionary Book of Hours Antiphonary Homilary Processional Horologion Breviary Hymnal Chronicle Maghreb Sub-Saharan (West) Africa Turkey Afghanistan Central Asia Egypt England India Iran Iraq Pakistan Germany France Austria Netherlands Ethiopia Armenia Flanders Greece Mamluk Mughal Ottoman Ottonian Armenian Byzantine Abbasid Qajar Rajput Christian Arabic Austrian Dutch Egyptian Fatimid German Indian Islamic Persian Safavid Timurid Turkish Umayyad English French Flemish Ethiopian Carolingian Calligraphy Colophon Headpiece Illumination Illustration Medallion Miniature Ornament Painting Early Abbasid script Ragini Romanesque Gothic Watermark Grotesques Historiated initial Inhabited initial White-vine lettering Textura Batarda Humanistic Uncial Accordion book Album Book Codex Manuscript Heraldry Saint's Life Drawing Grisaille Binding New Abbasid style Musical notation Russia Romania Charter Russian Genealogy Mass book Prayer book Gospel Lectionary Psalter-Hours Treatise Grammar Gloss Pontifical Private devotional text Gradual Protective scroll Scroll 10th century 11th century 12th century 13th century 14th century 15th century 16th century 17th century 18th century 19th century 20th century 8th century 9th century Block book Caroline minuscule Central Arab lands (Near East) Chart English secretary hand Kufic Gothic book hand Original binding Treasure binding Gospel Book Spanish Spain Liturgical Devotional Scriptural Theological Legal Historical Scientific Scientific -- Medical Literary -- Prose Literary -- Poetry Philosophical Astrological Sufi English Book Christian Codex Colophon Illumination Manuscript Miniature Painting Scripture Walters Art Museum Gospels Ethiopia Ethiopian Original binding 16th century