Biblia Sacra: Codex Membranaceus Saeculi IX

Between the years 870 and 875, the most sumptuously illuminated Carolingian Bible was created at the behest of Charles the Bald (823–877), grandson of the famous Charlemagne (742–814), in whose shadow all successive European monarchs have stood. Originating from his Court School in Aachen, it was presented to Pope John VIII (r. 872–882) at Charles’ imperial coronation in Rome on December 25th, 875 – Christmas night. Two centuries later, during the reign of Pope Gregory VII (r. 1073–85), the Bible was entrusted to the Benedictine Abbey of St. Paul Outside the Walls. It remains there to this day, and is such a famous treasure that it needs no shelf mark, but is also known as the Bible of St. Paul or the Bibbia di San Paolo fuori le Mura. The grand manuscript is a highlight of Carolingian illumination: purple-dyed parchment, gold and silver ink, bright pastel colors, superb initials and incipit pages in the Insular style, and miniatures inspired by the art of Late Antiquity.

A Gem of Carolingian Illumination

The 337-page Bible measures 44.8 x 35.5 cm and features 24 full-page miniatures and include a dedication portrait of Charles the Bald, a portrait of St. Jerome, 14 Old Testament Scenes, a Christ in Majesty, four Evangelist portraits, a scene from the Book of Acts, four miniatures from the Epistles of Paul, and a miniature from the Book of Revelation. A 25th miniature from the Book of Job is missing. The figures and other décor exhibit influences of the Reims school. These are adorned by 4 canon tables, 35 decorative pages, and 91 initials. The text of the ornamental pages is written in gold ink to make the most of the dark purple grounds with titles in Capitalis rustica, while Capitalis quadrata was used for the incipits. The biblical text is written in two columns by a scribe named Ingobert, who likely was the head of the scriptorium who directed a team working on the grand tome. He is identified in the prologue: Eius ad imperium devoti pectoris artus Ingobertus eram referens et scriba fidelis. The Baroque cover originated from a restoration in 1646 that was commissioned by Abbot Giovita De Rubeis, and the codex underwent another, longer, more meticulous restoration from 1970 to 1981, accounting for its superb condition today.