Ashburnham Pentateuch

Ashburnham Pentateuch

This remarkable manuscript was likely produced toward the end of the 6th or in the early 7th century and contains the Five Books of Moses—that is, the Pentateuch—in an early version of the Vulgate, the most widely used Latin translation of the Bible in the Middle Ages. It is thus one of the oldest Latin Bible manuscripts that have survived to this day. Its exact place of origin remains unclear. Scholars primarily discuss northern Italy or Rome, North Africa, and Spain as possible locations. It is precisely this early, mysterious origin that makes the manuscript particularly interesting in terms of art history, as it combines various late antique and early medieval pictorial traditions.

Remarkable Illumination

Given its age and the long and at times turbulent history that comes with it, it is hardly surprising that this valuable manuscript survives today only in a highly fragmentary state. In fact, the Book of Deuteronomy has only a single page remaining. The Books of Genesis and Exodus are the most extensively preserved and feature the greatest number of miniatures. The codex as a whole was originally likely adorned with a total of 69 large miniatures, of which 17 full-page miniatures, one half-page miniature, and the frontispiece still captivate their viewers today. This makes the codex unquestionably one of the earliest examples of extensive illumination of the Vulgate known to us today.

Visual Storytelling

The colorful miniatures are wonderful complements to the biblical texts and depict the events described in a highly vivid manner. Often, several chronologically consecutive scenes are depicted side by side within a single miniature, artfully synthesizing them into a single composition. The result are condensed visual narratives of impressive complexity. For example, the illustration of Cain and Abel depicts various stages of their story in multiple registers arranged one above the other. The different colored backgrounds help distinguish the individual time periods of the actions depicted. Other miniatures focus on single scenes, which are presented in a large-scale and imposing manner—such as the Flood and Noah’s Ark.

Painting in the Tradition of Late Antiquity

The many Old Testament figures are often characterized by expressive gestures and movements. Architectural elements, landscapes, and objects complement the events depicted and lend the scenes a narrative and, at times, downright theatrical character. The expressiveness of the images is underscored by their vibrant and high-contrast color palette. In particular, the use of blue, red, green, and purple skillfully structures the compositions. Remarkably, analyses of the pigments used have revealed, among other things, an extensive use of Egyptian blue. This deep-blue, artificially produced pigment was widely used in ancient Egypt and, from there, throughout the ancient Roman Empire. Its use, however, declined over the course of the Middle Ages. The paintings thus not only demonstrate high artistic quality but also serve as evidence of late antique painting techniques that were still employed in the creation of the Ashburnham Pentateuch.

Late Antique Uncial and Carolingian Minuscule

The original calligraphy is also rooted in ancient tradition. The main text is written in Roman uncials and, in some places, semi-uncials. The text is predominantly arranged in two columns and is structured by red display scripts and unadorned initials. Later additions from the 9th century were executed in the Carolingian minuscule, reflecting the customs of that time. Thus, the manuscript also serves as a bridge between different phases of writing culture.

A Defining Work of the Early Middle Ages

The Ashburnham Pentateuch holds particular significance for the development of early medieval book illumination. Its miniatures served as models for other illuminations, and the way in which complex biblical narratives are visually linked and conveyed through multiple scenes, registers, and gestures had a formative influence on medieval art in Europe. The manuscript thus stands at a crucial juncture between late antique visual language and the emerging early medieval book illumination.

An Eventful History and Famous Names

The manuscript is inevitably linked to a fascinating history of ownership. It first appears in the possession of the Monastery of St. Martin in Tours, more specifically in St. Gatianus Cathedral. In the 19th century, the Bible of Tours—initially named after this location—was stolen by the Italian collector and manuscript dealer Guglielmo Libri and sold to the Duke of Ashburnham, after whom the codex is generally named today. In 1888, the Ashburnham Pentateuch found its way to the Bibliothèque Nationale de France, where it is still preserved today.