Gospels

This small Gospel Book was made in Werden, Germany, in the eleventh century. Its size indicates that it was intended for daily, personal use, and a series of ownership inscriptions on the first folio, which trace the ownership of the manuscript among several members of the clergy, provides insight into its use. Although the book contains little decoration, with no canon tables or ornamental initials, the Gospels are introduced by three brown- and red-ink pen drawings of the Evangelists, two of which were embedded into the end of the previous Gospel by the artist. The manuscript is, however, incomplete and lacks the end of Matthew as well as the portrait of Mark, which was likely incorporated into Matthew's explicit page, as was done with the other portraits.

Provenance

Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.

Werden, early 11th century (?); Abbot Duden, St. Liudger, Helmstadt, ca. 1573 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Stephanus Campmann, Benedictine Abbey, Werden, 1597 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Prior Heinrich Meibom, St. Liudger, Helmstadt, prior to 1625 [mode of acquisition unknown]; Léon Gruel, Paris, late 19th century [mode of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.