Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript
This gem of late-medieval illumination presents itself as a unique specimen of the so-called Pauperβs 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 Evangelistβs 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 β literally a pauperβs 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 - Size / Format
- 44 pages / 48.0 Γ 33.0 cm
- Origin
- Germany
- Date
- 1340β1350
- Epochs
- Style
- Script
- Gothic Textura Quadrata
- Illustrations
- 58 full-page miniatures
- Content
- Pauper's Bible with excerpts from the Apocalypse
Biblia Pauperum Apocalypsis: The Weimar Manuscript
The Woman and the Dragon
The Woman of the Apocalypse is one of the most prominent figures of Johnβs Revelation and is widely considered to be either the Virgin Mary or Godβs 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
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 β 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.

#1 Biblia Pauperum. Apocalypsis: Die Weimarer Handschrift
Language: German
#2 Biblia Pauperum. Apocalypsis: Die Weimarer Handschrift
Language: German
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