Gulbenkian Apocalypse

Gulbenkian Apocalypse

In the 13th and 14th centuries, a series of precious and exquisitely illuminated manuscripts on the Book of Revelation—also known as the Apocalypse, the last book of the Bible—were created in England. Among these manuscripts, the so-called “Metz Group” stands out in particular for its exceptionally rich, extensive, and continuous illumination. The four related codices are characterized by a shared visual language marked by a clear and highly recognizable iconography and a high density of imagery. The picture cycles depict as many events from the biblical book as possible in chronological order, so that the text is, in a sense, accompanied by a visual retelling that is in no way inferior to its imposing language. In addition to the Gulbenkian Apocalypse, this remarkable group of manuscripts includes the Apocalypse of Lambeth Palace, the Abingdon Apocalypse, and the eponymous Metz Apocalypse, which was destroyed during World War II.

An Interesting Picture Cycle

The Gulbenkian Apocalypse adorns a picture cycle of 152 half-page miniatures. 78 of these illustration visually depict the history of the end of the world and the Day of Judgement. 74 additional scenes illustrate short excerpts of the rather lengthy, and beloved in 13th century English apocalypse manuscripts, Berengaudus Commentary. All of the images, in their various colors and forms, were depicted in a golden, rectangular frame. While the depictions of the biblical text emphasize the role of John as a visionary, the illustrations of the commentary stress the meaning of the sermon and of episcopal authority. The miniatures of the Gulbenkian Codex clearly eclipses the pictures from other illuminated Apocalypse manuscripts. The qualitatively valuable illuminations are in an excellent state of preservation, so that today we can still wonder at these gorgeous pictures in their full splendor.

Prominent Previous Owners

In the 17th century, the Gulbenkian Apocalypse likely found itself in the personal library of Pope Clement IX. The Italian art collector Cesare Battaglini, who was married to a descendant of Clement IX, is believed have purchased the manuscript in the first half of the 19th century for a hefty price. Between 1899 and 1920, the manuscript found itself in the possession of the English newspaper magnate and book collector Henry Yates Thompson. Last but not least, the eponymous Portuguese philanthropist Calouste Gulbenkian acquired the valuable codex for his museum in Lisbon, where it remains to this day.