Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

This unique Pauper's Bible visualizes the events of the Book of Revelation for the common man
Accomplished but stripped-down images are accompanied by banderoles with biblical texts and commentary
The manuscript originated ca. 1340/50 at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

Cod. Fol. max. 4 Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)

Description

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

This gem of late medieval book art is a unique specimen of a book genre that was fairly widespread at the time: the so-called Pauper's or Picture Bibles. The manuscript not only presents the most important stories of the New Testament to the viewer in a typological manner, i.e. in connection with Old Testament scenes that foreshadowed the events in the life of Christ according to Christian exegetic tradition. The second half of the artful manuscript focuses on the Revelation of John, namely the Apocalypse and the Last Judgement. This fascinating biblical narration, in which John recounts his vision of the end times, is visualized here in imposing, simple and yet highly expressive full-page miniatures that require only a few brief, accompanying textual explanations. The codex was probably illuminated by members from the Benedictine monastery of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt, who masterfully colored the large pen and ink drawings.

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

A large-format depiction presents the author of the Apocalypse, John the Evangelist himself, as he writes the biblical text. Here he is accompanied by his Evangelist’s symbol, the eagle with spread wings. Alongside this miniature, which depicts the background story so to speak, the Weimar Biblia Pauperum offers a broad spectrum of fascinating pictures from the Book of Revelation: creatures with multiple heads, fire-spitting dragons, knights, angels and demons, and finally God as redeemer and savior.

A Unique Illuminated Manuscript from Erfurt

This manuscript is a unique specimen within the Biblia Pauperum genre – literally a pauper’s Bible, which was meant to visualize biblical events in pictures for the social strata that could not read. The Weimar Biblia Pauperum contains impressive depictions of the Apocalypse, the Revelation of John from the last book of the New Testament. This late-medieval illuminated manuscript originated ca. 1340/50 at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt. It was finally acquired in 1809 by the ducal library in Weimar and is found today under the shelf mark Cod. Fol. max. 4 in the famous Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek.

Unpretentious Pictures with Great Expressiveness

The Weimar Biblia Pauperum presents the fantastically terrifying pictures of the Apocalypse on 22 pages in large-format depictions. Here the content is reduced to its essentials and thus offers a wonderful inside view into the multifarious worlds of the Apocalypse. Additionally, the miniatures are illustrated with a few banderoles, which contain quotes from the Book of Revelation as well as a commentary. The content of the Weimar Biblia Pauperum boasts an all-around extremely high-quality design in bright colors and even with precious gold!

Codicology

Alternative Titles: Biblia Pauperum. Apocalypsis: Die Weimarer Handschrift
Weimar Biblia Pauperum/Apocalypse
Biblia Pauperum and Picture Apocalypsis
Type: Manuscript on parchment
Size / Format: 44 pages / 48.0 × 33.0 cm
Origin: Germany
Date: 1340–1350
Epochs: Late Middle Ages Onwards
Style: Gothic
Genre: Bibles / Gospels
Apocalypses / Beatus
Language: Latin
German
Script: Gothic Textura Quadrata
Illustrations: 58 full-page miniatures
Content: Pauper's Bible with excerpts from the Apocalypse

Available facsimile editions:

Edition Leipzig – Leipzig, 2007

Limited Edition: 1000 copies

Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1977

Limited Edition: 1000 copies

Detail Picture

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

The Woman and the Dragon

The Woman of the Apocalypse is one of the most prominent figures of John’s Revelation and is widely considered to be either the Virgin Mary or God’s people as a whole. She is shown clothed with the sun, crowned with twelve stars and handing her child to the intervening hand of God as the seven-headed-dragon (Satan) attacks. This event provokes the War in Heaven, whereby the Archangel Michael leads the Heavenly Host against the rebel angels and smites the Dragon, casting it down from heaven.

Single Page

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

The Beast and His Armies Defeated

Revelation 19 ends with Christ leading the armies of Heaven to victory, capturing the Beast and the False Prophet, and casting them into the Lake of Fire. An angel subsequently descends from Heaven in Revelation 20 with a great chain and a key. Satan is shackled and cast into the Bottomless Pit, wherein he is locked for a thousand years before rebelling once more and finally joining his servants in the Lake of Fire.

These events are condensed here, and although confusing for those familiar with the Book of Revelation, it may have been a necessary abridgement – this manuscript was designed for instructing those who were both illiterate and ignorant of the Bible. The imagery has also been simplified, but is nonetheless possessive of a superior narrative quality.