Cycle of Old and New Testament Images, Possibly Prefatory Cycle for a Psalter
c. 1250 (bound 2003)
Medium
Manuscript with 58 full-page miniatures on parchment, with gothica textualis inscriptions in red (probably post-production addition) and black in French and Latin (only on ff. 9v-10r), ruled in graphite, with 2 (modern) fly leaves upper and lower cover, and with trimmed edges and modern cardboard binding
Dimensions
Image, average: 12 × 10 cm (4 3/4 × 3 15/16 in.); Sheet: 17 × 12 cm (6 3/4 × 4 3/4 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
71515
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Altogether six miniatures in this small volume chronicle the story of Noah as an exemplar of virtue and trust: on the left, Noah helps his family escape the flood; on the right, a dove with an olive leaf signifies their deliverance. Such full-page miniatures that served as the primary means of relaying the story, without text, also served as reminders of proper and improper behavior. They probably once prefaced a psalter, or book of Psalms, which both lay and religious communities recited on a d...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...