Bologna Devotional Picture Book

Bologna Devotional Picture Book

Around 1400, a team of skilled illuminators created a beautiful devotional book consisting solely of full-page miniatures lavishly decorated with gold, 48 of which have survived. It opens with two scenes from the life of Mary, based on apocryphal writings, which are intended to recall the special circumstances of her conception and birth. They are followed by 44 chronologically arranged scenes from the life of Jesus with a remarkable and unusual focus on his work and miracles before the Passion – including very rare iconographies such as the miraculous healing of a paralytic in Bethesda. After a blank double page, the work concludes with two images of Saint John the Baptist and Saint George, the dragon slayer.

Immersing Into the Story of the Life of Christ

The wonderful miniatures vividly bring the miraculous story of Christ to life for their beholders and are intended to inspire reverence and contemplation. They served as a kind of visual memory aid and support for independent, private meditation on the Christian God and one's own spiritual path. They were also intended to help contemplators internalize the biblical stories depicted. This is particularly evident in the numerous so-called repoussoir devices – figures seen from behind that draw the viewer into the picture, thereby facilitating immersion in the story. Thanks to its small format, this illuminated manuscript gem could be taken anywhere and be a constant companion to its owner. The small size also makes the multi-figure miniatures all the more impressive.

Mysterious Losses

When browsing through the manuscript attentively, one notices that crucial scenes from the life of Jesus are missing from the otherwise detailed picture cycle, for example, the birth of Christ and the crucifixion. In fact, the manuscript originally probably contained at least ten more miniatures that would have filled these lacunae and possibly also depicted further saints. Unfortunately, it is not possible to determine exactly when and under what circumstances the pages were lost. However, it must have been before the codex was rebound in the 16th century, as this surviving and current binding shows no signs of the pages having been removed.

Team Spirit

The style of the 48 surviving miniatures is primarily characterized by its luminous colors, artfully stylized landscapes, and captivating storytelling. The latter is particularly enhanced by the unusually expressive gestures and facial expressions of the figures. On a closer look, it is also apparent that Jesus is not depicted in a coherent manner, as one might expect, but repeatedly with slightly different facial features. This fascinating detail reveals that the miniatures were created by several different hands, which probably belonged to the same workshop. In this way, the participating illuminators immortalized their individual ideas of Jesus.

Illumination from Bologna

A large part of the striking miniatures is attributed to the so-called Master of 1411, who takes his provisional name from one of his precisely dated creations: the illuminated manuscript of the statutes of the Bologna drapers' guild, which he completed in 1411. Research associates him with the scriptorium of the former Olivetan monastery of San Michele in Bosco, which was located on the outskirts of medieval Bologna. This may also be where the artistic manuscript originated.

Bilingual Inscriptions

The red headings found above almost every miniature, which name the respective subject of the image, were probably added to the manuscript shortly after its completion. They leave no doubt as to what is depicted – a relevant aid, especially for the less common and sometimes obscure iconographies. They are notably absent from the two portraits of saints at the end of the codex. Here, they were seemingly considered less important or the images clear enough. In the 17th century, somewhat more detailed captions in Italian were added. During the same period, the gold-adorned woodcut borders of scrolling vines that now adorn almost every page may also have been added.

History of the Manuscript

Even though some pages have been lost over the years, the manuscript must have been of great value to its numerous owners. This is particularly evident from the extensive signs of usage by several generations. Unfortunately, only the owners from the 20th century can be retraced. In 1905, the precious manuscript from the estate of the Austrian merchant and art collector Franz Trau (1842–1905) found its way into the library of the Heidelberg professor Victor Goldschmidt (1853–1933). In 1941, the picture Bible was once again put up for auction and was finally acquired by H.P. Kraus for the Boston Public Library.