Miniatures with a polished gold background in the Byzantine style: a French picture Bible from the 12th century with criticism of the Crusades
Illustrated Bible of The Hague
Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin (France) — 1190–1200; Added text: 1290–1300

Illustrated Bible of The Hague
Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin (France) — 1190–1200; Added text: 1290–1300
This splendid 12th century manuscript exhibits clear Byzantine influences like burnished gold backgrounds
Imagery from the Old and New Testaments is appended by a reproachful text concerning the Second Crusade
The highly-coveted manuscript was owned by King William I of the Netherlands (1772–1843) and other bibliophiles

Illustrated Bible of The Hague
Moses Parting the Red Sea
The Pharaoh, his soldiers, and all their chariots are shown being swept away by the waters of the Red Sea as Moses leads the Israelites to safety. This miracle and demonstration of God’s power galvanized the faith of the Israelites as they prepare for their 40-year-ordeal in the desert. On the left, the Israelites proceed with understandably concerned faces as Moses keeps his arm and staff raised, their divine protection symbolized by a diamond-patterned gold leaf background.
Illustrated Bible of The Hague
- Biblia Ilustrada de La Haya
- Illustrierte Bibel von Den Haag
Short Description
The so-called Illustrated Bible of The Hague is a 12th century French manuscript that has been illustrated from end-to-end. It originated in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin in the northwest of France, but exhibits clear Byzantine influences nonetheless. Presumably, even the name of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos is connected to the manuscript, as can be guessed from a reproachful text against Rome concerning the Second Crusade on two pages in the book. 172 images in total illustrate the Old and New Testament in marvelous, precious miniatures. A manuscript with a truly exciting story!
Illustrated Bible of The Hague
The so-called Illustrated Bible of The Hague is a 12th century French manuscript that has been illustrated from end-to-end. It originated in the Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin in the northwest of France, but exhibits clear Byzantine influences nonetheless. Presumably, even the name of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos is connected to the manuscript, as can be guessed from a reproachful text against Rome concerning the Second Crusade on two pages in the book. 172 images in total illustrate the Old and New Testament in marvelous, precious miniatures. A manuscript with a truly exciting story!
The Bible Illustrations
A total 45 full-page miniatures illustrate the 94 pages of the so-called Illustrated Bible of The Hague, each of which is divided into four image fields. As a result, there is **a comprehensive pictorial décor of 172 illustrations altogether with scenes from the Old and New Testaments*. They present the cycle of Salvation, beginning with the tale of Adam and Eve and ending with the Last Judgement. Additionally, a few tales of the lives and martyrdoms of saints are pictorially represented.
France and Byzantium
The precious manuscript with text in Latin and French originated at the end of the 12th century, it was finally appended with an additional text a century later. The illustrated Bible originates from the Benedictine Abbey of St. Bertin in the northwest of France. Nonetheless, the treatment of the miniatures, some of them presented against gold backgrounds, clearly indicates Byzantine influences. An extremely vivid color scheme, splendid gold figures, and flat representations distinguish the paintings in colorful decorative frames.
The Byzantine Emperor and the Dutch King
An additional indication of a Byzantine connection is hidden in the manuscript: aside from the clear Byzantine influences in the miniatures, one can find an indictment against the Second Crusade and against Rome on both the first and last pages of the manuscript. This has led to the assumption that the manuscript was originally a commission of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (1118–1180). Additionally, the marvelous illustrations of the Bible probably served originally as the preface of a Psalter. In the 18th century, the manuscript of the Illustrated Bible of The Hague found itself in the possession of Joseph Désiré Lupus before it was acquired by King William I of the Netherlands. It finally reached the Koninklijke Bibliotheek von den Haag in 1823.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Biblia Ilustrada de La Haya
Illustrierte Bibel von Den Haag - Size / Format
- 94 pages / 25.5 × 16.5 cm
- Date
- 1190–1200; Added text: 1290–1300
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Illustrations
- 172 coloured images in 45 full-page miniatures
- Artist / School
- French style (1200)
- Previous Owners
- Joseph Désiré Lupus
King William I of The Netherlands

Illustrated Bible of The Hague
Map of Jerusalem
Surrounded by other important biblical sites like Bethlehem, Bethany, and Jericho, this is a schematic map of the city of Jerusalem resembling a mappa mundi. Prominent landmarks in the city are depicted including its main gates, the Temple of Solomon, and Golgotha. It is composed of bright primary colors and is generously embellished with glimmering gold leaf.
The bas-de-page miniature reminds us that this manuscript was created in the 12th century during the height of the Crusades: it shows a Crusader knight dressed in white pursuing a wounded enemy on horseback. The burnished gold background of this and other miniatures points to the influence of Byzantine art in France and the rest of the West during this period.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Illustrated Bible of The Hague“
Biblia Ilustrada de La Haya
- Publisher
- Orbis Mediaevalis – Madrid, 2011
- Limited Edition
- 695 copies
- Binding
- Green velvet with two clasps
- Commentary
-
1 volume by Gregorio Solera, Ed Van der Vlist, Eberhard König, Ana B. Sanchez Prieto and David Lopez Menaza
Language: Spanish - More Information
- 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.
Matching Works
Bible moralisée of Naples
Picture strips for the Old Testament and full-page miniatures for the New: a visually stunning masterpiece created by the greatest artists of the early Italian Renaissance
Experience MoreCoronation Gospels of the Holy Roman Empire
Part of the Imperial Insignia, written in gold ink on purple parchment: each German emperor swore his oath with his hand on this book
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Bibles
You would assume that Bibles were the most commonly produced medieval manuscript, right? Wrong. The sheer size of the...Experience moreGothic
Gothic illumination is some of the most spectacular and iconic imagery of medieval art and first emerged in Northern...Experience more12th Century
Are you ready for an age of epic events and flourishing art? The Crusades and Reconquista rage at either end of the...Experience moreGospel Books
Who were the original Fab Four? Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Luxury Gospel books are among the most precious...Experience more
- Treatises / Secular Books
- Apocalypses / Beatus
- Astronomy / Astrology
- Bestiaries
- Bibles / Gospels
- Chronicles / History / Law
- Geography / Maps
- Saints' Lives
- Islam / Oriental
- Judaism / Hebrew
- Single Leaf Collections
- Leonardo da Vinci
- Literature / Poetry
- Liturgical Manuscripts
- Medicine / Botany / Alchemy
- Music
- Mythology / Prophecies
- Psalters
- Other Religious Books
- Games / Hunting
- Private Devotion Books
- Other Genres
- Aboca Museum
- Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt (ADEVA)
- Aldo Ausilio Editore - Bottega d’Erasmo
- Alecto Historical Editions
- Ars Magna
- ArtCodex
- AyN Ediciones
- Bärenreiter-Verlag
- Belser Verlag
- Belser Verlag / WK Wertkontor
- Bernardinum Wydawnictwo
- BiblioGemma
- Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana (Vaticanstadt, Vaticanstadt)
- Bibliotheca Palatina Faksimile Verlag
- Bibliotheca Rara
- CAPSA, Ars Scriptoria
- Circulo Cientifico
- Club Bibliófilo Versol
- CM Editores
- Collezione Apocrifa Da Vinci
- Comissão Nacional para as Comemorações dos Descobrimentos Portugueses
- Coron Verlag
- De Agostini/UTET
- DIAMM
- E. Schreiber Graphische Kunstanstalten
- Ediciones Boreal
- Ediciones Grial
- Edilan
- Editalia
- Edition Leipzig
- Edition Libri Illustri
- Editiones Reales Sitios S. L.
- Editions Medicina Rara
- Editorial Mintzoa
- Egeria, S.L.
- Extraordinary Editions
- Facsimile Editions Ltd.
- Facsimilia Art & Edition Ebert KG
- Faksimile Verlag
- Franco Cosimo Panini Editore
- Fundación Hullera Vasco-Leonesa
- Giunti Editore
- Graffiti
- Grafica European Center of Fine Arts
- Helikon
- Herder Verlag
- Hes & De Graaf Publishers
- Hugo Schmidt Verlag
- Idion Verlag
- Il Bulino, edizioni d'arte
- Imago
- Insel Verlag
- Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana - Treccani
- Istituto Poligrafico e Zecca dello Stato
- Kaydeda Ediciones
- La Meta Editore
- Leo S. Olschki
- Libreria Musicale Italiana
- Lumen Artis
- M. Moleiro Editor
- Manuscriptum
- Millennium Liber
- Nova Charta
- Orbis Mediaevalis
- Orbis Pictus
- Österreichische Staatsdruckerei
- Patrimonio Ediciones
- PIAF
- Popyläen Verlag
- Prestel Verlag
- Priuli & Verlucca, editori
- Pro Sport Verlag
- Pytheas Books
- Quaternio Verlag Luzern
- Reales Sitios
- Reichert Verlag
- Roberto Vattori Editore
- Salerno Editrice
- Schöck ArtPrint Kft.
- Scrinium
- Scripta Maneant
- Scriptorium
- Siloé, arte y bibliofilia
- Styria Verlag
- Tempus Libri
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial
- The Clear Vue Publishing Partnership Limited
- The Facsimile Codex
- The Folio Society
- Tip.Le.Co
- TouchArt
- Trident Editore
- Vallecchi
- Van Wijnen
- Vicent Garcia Editores
- Wiener Mechitharisten-Congregation (Wien, Österreich)
- Yushodo