Missale Remense
One of the most beautiful illuminated manuscripts of the French High Gothic style was made in Rheims between 1285 and 1297. It is the missal, which was the basis for the celebration of the mass in the parish of St. Nacasio in Rheims. The gorgeous missal is richly illustrated with exceptionally designed, full-page miniatures in splendid colors and furnished with precious gold leaf.
Missale Remense
One of the most beautiful and splendid missals, which was created in the Middle Ages, can be found today in the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg. It is a missal that was made between 1285 and 1297 in the French city of Rheims. The liturgical work contains prayer texts for reading during the joint mass and served as a calendar for the feasts and holidays of the liturgical year. It is adorned with over 100 full-page miniatures in luminously intense colors and with the employment of noble gold leaf. The precious, meticulously-written illuminated prayer book counts among the absolute highpoints of Western European illumination at the end of the 13th century.
A Liturgical Rulebook
A missal is a liturgical work that describes the course of the holy mass for the celebration of the Eucharist on Sundays, feast days, and workdays. It contains prayers for the various church festivities, which would be sung or spoken by priests as well as the texts typical to any church service, such as the Kyrie eleison, the Gloria, and the Lordβs Prayer. The Missale Remense was made for the Church of St. Nacasio in Rheims. Here it was used and carefully handled over many years and could be read exclusively by priests of the church.
A Masterpiece of French Gothic
The splendid visual adornment of the missal is a unique example of the outstanding illumination of the French High Gothic style. Elegant, elongated figures with slim limbs and sublime facial features illustrate the ceremonial prayer texts of the manuscript. Differentiated color gradations as well as accents of precious gold leaf causes the miniature pages to shine. The calligraphic script of the codex was completed as painstakingly and splendidly as the images. Luminous, rich red and golden ornaments furnishing the historiated initials introduce the texts of the respective liturgical activities and as such, important passages are written in various color schemes.
Codicology
- Alternative Titles
- Misal de Reims
Missel Γ lΒ΄usage de Saint-Nicaise de Reims
Missale aus Reims
Missal of Reims - Size / Format
- 672 pages / 23.3 Γ 16.2 cm
- Origin
- France
- Date
- 1285β1297; 15th century
- Epochs
- Style
- Genre
- Language
- Script
- Gothic Textura Formata
- Illustrations
- 105 miniatures, most of them full-page, 24 medallions, and 32 historiated initials
- Content
- Missal for the celebration of the mass in the parish of St. Nacasio in Rheims
- Previous Owners
- Peter Dubrovsky (1754β1816)
Missale Remense
Jonah and the Whale
βJonah is thrown into the seaβ reads the Latin title of this miniature showing the moment that the prophet is cast overboard to save the rest of the crew from a storm. Despite commonly being referred to as a whale, the original Hebrew text simply refers to a βgiant fishβ. 17th and 18th century naturalists were obsessed with trying to find what whale or large shark could be responsible. Regardless, the three days Jonah spends in the creatureβs stomach foreshadows the story of the Resurrection.

Missale Remense
Annunciation to the Shepherds
This magnificent historiated βPβ initial combines deep primary colors and shimmering gold leaf with subtle patterns as well as vegetal and zoomorphic elements. Both the shepherds and the angel exhibit the slender bodies and gesturing hands typical of French Gothic illumination. As the angel appears in the sky above them, a horned goat rears up on its hind legs at this sudden apparition.
And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, βDo not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.β (Lk. 2:9-11)

#1 Misal de Reims
Language: Spanish
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