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Amida Gospels
(Manuscripts and Rare Books)
This Gospel Book, with richly painted Evangelist portraits, canon tables, and marginal illuminations, was made in Armenia in the early seventeenth century. An extensive colophon reveals that it was commissioned by a woman named Napat' as a memorial for herself and her family, and the book was consequently given by her to the Church of St. Sargis in Amida. The illuminator of the manuscript, Hovannes, was one of the most prolific among the artists and scribes at the Amida scriptorium. On the present codex he worked with the scribe Melk'on. Known collaborators, Hovannes and Melk'on executed a number of codices together.
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object.
Napat', Amida, Armenia, early 17th century, by commision; Church of St. Sargis, Amida, Armenia, by gift [date of acquisition unknown]; Henry Walters, Baltimore, [date and mode of acquisition unknown]; Walters Art Museum, 1931, by bequest.
Exhibitions
| 2009 | The Saint John's Bible: A Modern Vision through Medieval Methods. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 1994 | Treasures in Heaven: Armenian Illuminated Manuscripts. The Morgan Library & Museum, New York; The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1988 | Treasures in Heaven: Armenian Manuscript Illumination. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1984-1985 | Illuminated Manuscripts: Masterpieces in Miniature. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Geographies
Armenia, Amida (Place of Origin)
Measurements
Folio H: 10 1/16 × W: 7 3/8 in. (25.6 × 18.7 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters
Location in Museum
Not on view
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
W.541