Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Edition Leipzig – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)

Erfurt (Germany) — 1340–1350

Created in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt: large-format, impressive, massive, and yet refined miniatures of the famous Book of Revelation

  1. This unique Pauper's Bible visualizes the events of the Book of Revelation for the common man

  2. Accomplished but stripped-down images are accompanied by banderoles with biblical texts and commentary

  3. The manuscript originated ca. 1340/50 at the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

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  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (2)
Description
Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript

This gem of late-medieval illumination presents itself as a unique specimen of the so-called Pauper’s Bible, its content focusing on the Book of Revelation and the Last Judgement. These fascinating biblical tales are visualized by impressive, unpretentious, and expressive miniatures. Miniaturists from the Benedictine Abbey of St. Peter and Paul in Erfurt were responsible for this 14th century historical treasure.

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
Size / Format
44 pages / 48.0 × 33.0 cm
Origin
Germany
Date
1340–1350
Style
Script
Gothic Textura Quadrata
Illustrations
58 full-page miniatures
Content
Pauper's Bible with excerpts from the Apocalypse

Available facsimile editions:
Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Edition Leipzig – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)
Edition Leipzig – Leipzig, 2007
Limited Edition: 1000 copies

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Insel Verlag – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)
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.

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Edition Leipzig – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)
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.

Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Edition Leipzig – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Biblia Pauperum. Apocalypsis: Die Weimarer Handschrift

Edition Leipzig – Leipzig, 2007

Publisher: Edition Leipzig – Leipzig, 2007
Limited Edition: 1000 copies
Binding: Parchment binding
Commentary: 1 volume by Rainer Behrends, Konrad Kratzsch and Heinz Mettke
Language: German
1 volume: This facsimile is not complete. 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.
Price Category: €€ (1,000€ - 3,000€)
Edition available
Price: Login here!

#2 Biblia Pauperum. Apocalypsis: Die Weimarer Handschrift

Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1977
Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Insel Verlag – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany)
Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript – Insel Verlag – Cod. Fol. max. 4 – Herzogin Anna Amalia Bibliothek (Weimar, Germany) Copyright Photos: Ziereis Facsimiles

Publisher: Insel Verlag – Frankfurt, 1977
Limited Edition: 1000 copies
Commentary: 1 volume by Rainer Behrends
Language: German
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) 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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