Byzantine illumination commissioned by the Emperor: the lives of saints in 400+ golden miniatures
Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
Istanbul (Turkey) — Late 10th century or early 11th century

Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
Istanbul (Turkey) — Late 10th century or early 11th century
A primary work of Byzantine illumination marks a period of their military, economic, and artistic resurgence
Vasilios II (958–1015) was the Byzantine Emperor for nearly 50 years and a great patron of art and culture
No less than 430 expressive, gold-backed miniatures of the saints' lives were created by 8 different masters

Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
Martyrdom of Saint Peter
The Pope is referred to as the “heir of St. Peter”, an Apostle who was martyred in Rome in the year 64, which is illustrated here. Sentenced to crucifixion, he requested only that this was done with his head downward because he felt unworthy to die in the same way as Christ. The cause of his martyrdom is debated: some claim that it was part of recriminations by the Emperor Nero against Christians who were blamed for the Great Fire of Rome, others that it was simply because of Peter’s faith.
Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
- El Menologio de Basilio II
- Menologion of Basil II
- Menologion - Heiligenbuch von Kasier Basileios II.
Short Description
The famous Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II is counted among the primary works of Byzantine illumination. Originating from around the year 1000, the manuscript contains expositions on the lives of saints in the course of the church year September to February. This martyrology was decorated with splendid and exceptionally high-quality miniatures concerning the lives of individual saints, but also historical and biblical events. What is additionally unique is the fact the miniaturists who contributed to the manuscript are identified by name! The Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II is of unfathomable worth both historically and artistically and offers the marvelous opportunity to engage with this great epoch of illumination!
Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
The famous Menologion of Emperor Vasilios IIis counted among the primary works of Byzantine illumination. Originating from around the year 1000, the manuscript contains expositions on the lives of saints in the course of the church year September to February. This martyrology was decorated with splendid and exceptionally high-quality miniatures concerning the lives of individual saints, but also historical and biblical events. What is additionally unique is the fact the miniaturists who contributed to the Menologion are identified by name! The Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II is of unfathomable worth both historically and artistically and offers the marvelous opportunity to engage with this great epoch of illumination!
A Commission of the Byzantine Emperor
Codex Vat. Gr. 1613 of the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana probably originated from Constantinople around the turn of the 11th century. It is considered to be one of the primary works of Byzantine illumination. The important patron of the manuscript was Emperor Vasilios II (976–1025), known in English as Basil II, one of the most significant Byzantine monarchs, and the longest-reigning. The term Menologion indicates a collection of saints’ vitae, which are listed according to the succession of holidays in the church year. In the Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II, also known as the Book of Saints, there are short explanations of the lives of the saints and martyrs. The 16 lines of text dedicated to each page could be read on the respective saint’s day of remembrance. The saints in the Byzantine calendar year from September to February are listed in the famous Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II. The other half of the year was presumably dealt with in another volume that no longer exists.
Saints Lives on a Gold Background
The Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II assembles 430 miniatures on 434 pages measuring 37.5 x 32.3 cm. Every single page is illuminated! These stylistically outstanding miniatures are applied against a gold background, which also increases the worth and splendor of the manuscript. The depictions in the upper-half of the image on each page present themselves as illustrations of one or more saints. Thus one finds scenes of martyrdom, but also of miracles or other hagiographic legends in the miniatures. The illumination distinguishes itself through its particularly vivid and natural style. Themes of the miniatures, aside from the lives of saints, also include biblical episodes from the Old and New Testaments (e.g. a cycle from the life of Christ) and historical events such as the Council of Nicaea or the struggle of the Byzantines against the Bulgarians. Depth and three-dimensionality in the depiction of landscapes and architecture, as well as the complicated gestures and meaningful expressions of the figures are a clear sign of the outstanding quality of the miniatures!
No Nameless Master
An additional idiosyncrasy of the Menologion of Emperor Vasilios II can be found amidst all of this marvelous visual adornment. The painters of the miniatures are listed by name, which is exceptional – a unique fact for a Byzantine manuscript! A total of eight artists participated and can be differentiated from one another with the aid of the inscriptions on the margin of each of the miniatures: Pantoleon (probably the master of the group and an important miniaturist of his time), Georgios, Michael the Younger, Michael of Blachernae, Simeon, Simeon of Blachernae, Menas, and Nestor. This detail lends an additional aspect to the manuscript’s outstanding significance!
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- El Menologio de Basilio II
Menologion of Basil II
Menologion - Heiligenbuch von Kasier Basileios II. - Size / Format
- 434 pages / 37.5 x 32.2 cm
- Origin
- Istanbul (Turkey)
- Date
- Late 10th century or early 11th century
- Style
- Genre
- Illustrations
- 430 miniatures on golden ground
- Artist / School
- Pantoleon
Georgios
Michael the Younger
Michael of Vlachernae
Simeon
Simeon of Vlachernae
Menas
Nestor

Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II
Second Council of Nicaea
A menologion is an Eastern Orthodox collection of saints’ lives, but this particular codex is special because it also includes episodes from the Old and New Testaments as well as historical events like the Second Council of Nicaea in 787. The seventh ecumenical council held by Eastern Orthodox and Catholic clergy confirmed the veneration of icons but forbade their worship.
Set against a brilliantly burnished gold background, this three dimensional depiction is remarkable for the meaningful expressions of the figures. Emperor Constantine VI is depicted crowned, enthroned, and flanked by six high-ranking clerics holding manuscripts with luxury bindings. An iconoclast cleric prostrates himself before them to recant his now-heretical beliefs.
1 available facsimile edition(s) of „Menologion - Book of Saints of Emperor Vasilios II“
El Menologio de Basilio II
- Publisher
- Testimonio Compañía Editorial – Madrid, 2005
- Binding
- Faithful reproduction of the original binding in maroon velvet with silver hardware.
- Commentary
-
1 volume (380 pages) by Francesco D'Aiuto
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
Anglo‐Norman Martyrology: Picture Book of Madame Marie
Realistic, unsparing depictions of the agonies of famous saints and martyrs in full-page miniatures
Experience MoreMatching Background Articles
Saints' Lives
How does one become a saint? Find out by reading about the lives of the saints and the example they set through their...Experience moreByzantine
How can an artistic style remain remarkably homogeneous for nearly a millennium? We call them Byzantines today, but they...Experience more11th Century
The beginning of the High Middle Ages and the emergence of Romanesque art: witness the Byzantines at their zenith, the...Experience more10th Century
Who were the Magyars and Rus Vikings and how did they contribute to the evolution of medieval Europe? Read about a...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