Made ca. 1220 for the King of Castile: one of the last and most beautiful Beatus manuscripts
Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
Scriptorium of the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña (Burgos, Spanien) — Circa 1220

Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
Scriptorium of the Monastery of San Pedro de Cardeña (Burgos, Spanien) — Circa 1220
One of the last Beatus manuscripts also contains one of the most unique iconographic programs
Made ca. 1220 for King Ferdinand III of Castile (ca. 1200–1252) in the Monastery of San Pedro de Carden͂a
69 miniatures decorated with gold and silver make it one of the most beautiful Beatus manuscripts

Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
The Hellmouth
During the Last Judgement, the Blessed are separated from the Damned, who are cast into the Lake of Fire, represented here by the Hellmouth. First appearing in Anglo-Saxon art ca. 800, the Hellmouth originated in pagan Nordic religion before being Christianized and becoming a popular way of envisioning the entrance to Hell among medieval and Renaissance artists. Here we see demons crowding a group of people into flames while others are tortured and dismembered on a wheel covered with blades.
Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
- Arroyo Beatus - San Andrés de Arroyo Monastery Codex
- Beato de Liébana, códice del Monasterio de San Andrés de Arroyo, Palencia
- Beatus von Arroyo - Kodex des Klosters San Andrés de Arroyo
- Beato di Arroyo -
- Bibliothèque nationale de France, Parigi
- Béatus de Arroyo - Codex du Monastère de San Andrés de Arroyo
- Beato de Arroyo - Códice do Mosteiro de San Andrés de Arroyo
Short Description
The San Andrés de Arroyo Codex is the newest codex from the series of Beatus manuscripts about the Apocalypse. The work originates from the scriptorium of a monastery near the Spanish city of Burgos ca. 1220. Its colorful miniatures are richly decorated with gold leaf and silver. The miniatures are painted in the Gothic style of illumination.
Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
The Book of Revelation, which is also known as the Apocalypse, is the last book of the New Testament. The story of the end of the world, of Judgement Day, of the sinners’ descent into hell, tremendously fascinated Christians from every land. A Spanish monk by the name of Beatus wrote a commentary on this book from the Bible, which was adapted over several centuries thereafter. The San Andrés de Arroyo Codex is a late edition of the manuscript by Beatus. The work originated from the beginning of the 13th century and with its 69 miniatures decorated with gold and silver, it is an especially beautifully illustrated edition.
Who Was Beatus?
Beatus of Liébana was a monk and theologian, who belonged to the Monastery of Santo Toribio de Liébana in Spain. The monk is famous above all for his magnum opus, a commentary on the biblical Apocalypse in twelve books. These twelve books originate from ca. 776 and are known today as the Beatus-Series. The twelve books were adapted into countless manuscripts, many of which survive to this day. The majority of Beatus manuscripts originate from between the 10th and 12th centuries in northern Spain. Some more manuscripts were also produced after the heyday, the San Andrés de Arroyo Codex is one of them.
A Late Reception
The San Andrés de Arroyo Codex originates from ca. 1220 in the Monastery of San Pedro de Carden͂a in Spain. It was commissioned by King Ferdinand III of Castile. The Arroyo Codex is the newest of the Beatus manuscripts and contains a unique iconographic program. One of the work’s images shows a crowd of people on the Day of Judgement. The group is led by a royal couple and passes through the hell mouth. This type of picture was employed in the construction of Gothic church doors. The centuries-old tradition of the Beatus writings ended with the Arroya Codex.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Arroyo Beatus - San Andrés de Arroyo Monastery Codex
Beato de Liébana, códice del Monasterio de San Andrés de Arroyo, Palencia
Beatus von Arroyo - Kodex des Klosters San Andrés de Arroyo
Beato di Arroyo -
Bibliothèque nationale de France, Parigi
Béatus de Arroyo - Codex du Monastère de San Andrés de Arroyo
Beato de Arroyo - Códice do Mosteiro de San Andrés de Arroyo - Size / Format
- 334 pages / 45.7 x 30.0 cm
- Date
- Circa 1220
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Illustrations
- 69 miniatures illuminated with gold and silver leaf

Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex
Vision of the Lamb on Mt. Zion
“And I looked and lo, a Lamb stood on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred forty and four thousand, having His Father’s name written in their foreheads…And they sang, as it were, a new song before the throne, and before the four living beings and the elders; and no man could learn that song, except the hundred and forty and four thousand who were redeemed from the earth” (Rev. 14:1,3)
Although the text says that they are playing harps, the 12th century artists depict the 144,000 wearing crowns and playing something resembling violins or a similar string instrument. The four living creatures, who appear like angels with animal heads (save for the winged man of course) above gold Suns and silver Moons, and numerous elders are shown overhead.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Beatus of Liébana - San Andrés de Arroyo Codex“
Beato de Liébana, códice del Monasterio de San Andrés de Arroyo, Palencia
- Publisher
- M. Moleiro Editor – Barcelona, 1999
- Limited Edition
- 987 copies
- Binding
- Beige leather binding
- Commentary
-
1 volume (388 pages) by Miguel C. Vivancos, Dulce Ocón, Carmen Bernis and Carlos Miranda
Language: Spanish - More Information
- Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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