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Evangelist portrait

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are less likely to be worn than in other types of image. The level of detail shown in the furniture and fittings is unusual for Early Medieval art. An arch behind the author, often with curtains hanging across it, in some examples close to the classical models, gradually is turned into a decorative
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of the 7th to 10th centuries, evangelist portraits in manuscripts nearly always closely followed the seated classical models, showing the Evangelists at full-length, either looking out at the viewer or writing at a table or desk and seen at an oblique angle. These were derived from unknown classical
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The early artists of the Insular period often show evangelists from the front who appear to be standing, although a chair is drawn behind them; the human figure was not a focus of interest or skill for these artists. Later Insular depictions seem to show figures without chairs, who are standing.
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in the manuscript. They are a common feature in larger Gospel Books from the earliest examples in the 6th century until the decline of that format for illustrated books in the High Middle Ages, by which time their conventions were being used for portraits of other authors.
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world, the Gospel Book remained a primary focus for illumination, and Evangelist portraits, derived from contemporary Byzantine versions, are heavily represented among the earliest illuminations from the new Slav national traditions, such as the 11th-century
622: 97:(not unlike the contemporary author photo, though this is usually shown on the back cover or wrapper). A very few examples of Late Antique secular author portraits survive, and rather more later copies. Some examples also draw on the conventions of the 431: 240:
and scroll-boxes, and a small writing-stand with a single dolphin-shaped support (see gallery below), survive well into the Middle Ages, sometimes clearly misunderstood by the artists concerned. Perhaps because of the secular origins of the typology,
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of 30 years later). The Evangelist may be holding a book, but is not writing in it, and he faces the front on a large throne, surrounded by an elaborate frame, usually domed or pedimented. These frameworks are thought to draw from the style of the
490: 329: 201:"As for the likeness of their faces, each had the face of a man in front; the four had the face of a lion on the right side, the four had the face of an ox on the left side, and the four had the face of an eagle at the back." (Ezek. 1:10) 572: 470: 278:
Most of Europe continued to use the seated model however, usually seen in a three-quarters on view, and usually with a cushion behind. Sometimes all four evangelists were combined on a page, sometimes around a
588: 451: 257:, often including the Evangelists and/or their symbols in the corners. Versions of the same composition appear in all media used for Early Medieval religious art, including wall paintings. The 616:, 1220s. Compare the arch and curtains with the Chrongraphy of 354; their function now seems lost in this double portrait, whose artist is also unclear how a scroll functions. 236:, though both of these types are rather different from the general types. Usually a setting is provided for the figure. Details of the classical models, such as anachronistic 289:
The Gospel book as a medium for heavily illustrated manuscripts declined in the West from the Romanesque period, and with it the use of the Evangelist portrait. In the
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Christian iconographic tradition came to associate the man with Saint Matthew, the lion with Saint Mark, the ox with Saint Luke, and the eagle with Saint John.
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at the start of each Gospel. Other books sometimes contained them as well. Similar compositions began to be used for other saint-authors, especially for St
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They originate in the classical secular tradition of the author portrait, which was often the only illustration in a classical manuscript, also used as a
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is an 8th-century example of pure metalwork with five oval medallion portraits of Christ and the Evangelists (with symbols) round the cup.
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tradition, either given their own additional images on a separate page, or used instead of an evangelist portrait. The symbols are: the
597:; The dolphin-shaped lectern stem, still understood in Byzantine examples, has metamorphosed into a kind of dragon in northern Europe 744: 402:, Mark writing on a scroll, 6th century. Written under Byzantine rule in Italy (the mark above his shoulders is a stain). 524: 81: 35: 366:
of the 1st-century physician author. He is painting a plant held by its personification. Early 6th-century Byzantine.
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was Mark. Sometimes, as in the example from Lorsch, the symbols are shown dictating the text to the evangelist.
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or Man of Matthew. Often all are shown with wings, as in the familiar winged lion used in the coat of arms of
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or cover in metalwork, often with jewels and ivories. These most often featured a central panel with
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may be shown with a dove, representing his inspiration from the Holy Spirit, whispering in his ear.
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Insular, 8th century, now St Gall. Unusually, a single unspecified Evangelist with all four symbols
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The traditional symbols of the Evangelists were often included in the images, or especially in the
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Matthew; Anglo-Saxon 8th century, combining many classical details, such as the curtains, with
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evangelist portraits often show standing figures, as in the ivory panels of the Throne of
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composition) with the Evangelists often treated as, and mixed with, other saints.
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The symbols of the four evangelists are derived from a vision in the book of the
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Cetic and Anglo-Saxon Painting: Book illumination in the British Isles 600-800
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may be shown with them, or separately. Often they are the only figurative
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seems taken directly from the single portrait, usually thought to be of
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Four evangelists and prophets surround Christ. c. 850 by Haregarius of
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miniature portraying the Evangelists with their symbols, from the
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consular portrait, much used for the Emperors, who were also
49: 709:(trans fr German), 1986, Harvey Miller Publishers, London, 675: 515: 422: 421:, carbon dated to the 5th or early 6th century. Written in 378:
Group author portrait of distinguished physicians from the
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which show no portraits, only the symbols. Insular c. 690.
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Among the earliest surviving evangelist portrait, in the
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Early Gospel Books often had a very elaborate and costly
162: 425:, Ethiopia, following Late Antique Egyptian models. 695:. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press, 1983. 721: 264: 198:in the form of men, but each with four faces: 52:and other books, as well as other media. Each 207: 566:9th century, follows similar conventions. 414:Portrait of the Evangelist Mark from the 268: 133: 15: 129: 740:Iconography of illuminated manuscripts 722: 346:-box, although the book it is in is a 362:One of three author portraits in the 707:Book Illumination in the Middle Ages 693:Illuminated Books of the Middle Ages 246:framing device for the whole scene. 228:prototypes, similar to those in the 702:. New York: George Braziller, 1977. 88: 13: 632:'s only known miniature, from the 14: 756: 641: 621: 602: 587: 571: 562:A much rarer author portrait of 555: 539: 523: 508: 489: 469: 450: 430: 407: 391: 371: 355: 328: 578:Luke, Byzantine, 10th century, 664: 1: 685: 518:Gospels, 9th century, Matthew 670:The portrait of Mark in the 460:- the Lion of Mark from the 265:Insular variants and decline 7: 745:New Testament people in art 480:, late 8th-century Insular 27:with his symbol, around 800 10: 761: 321: 208:Depictions and other media 678:, in the Codex Amiatinus. 500:decoration on the chair. 111:Missorium of Theodosius I 657: 38:included in ancient and 234:Saint Augustine Gospels 34:are a specific type of 628:The Angel of Matthew, 502:Stockholm Codex Aureus 274: 146: 43:illuminated manuscript 28: 21:Codex Aureus of Lorsch 735:Christian iconography 439:St. Augustine Gospels 272: 196:four living creatures 137: 19: 316:St Gregory the Great 130:Evangelists' symbols 32:Evangelist portraits 691:Calkins, Robert G. 672:Lindisfarne Gospels 482:pocket gospel books 443:Chronography of 354 308:historiated initial 302:of about 1390 from 107:Chronography of 354 698:Nordenfalk, Carl. 462:Echternach Gospels 380:Vienna Dioscurides 364:Vienna Dioscurides 275: 147: 29: 650:Cutbercht Gospels 280:Christ in Majesty 255:Christ in Majesty 752: 679: 668: 645: 634:Khitrovo Gospels 625: 606: 591: 575: 559: 543: 527: 512: 493: 473: 454: 434: 411: 395: 375: 359: 332: 300:Khitrovo Gospels 296:Ostromir Gospels 291:Eastern Orthodox 251:treasure binding 169:of Luke and the 89:Author portraits 58:Four Evangelists 760: 759: 755: 754: 753: 751: 750: 749: 720: 719: 688: 683: 682: 669: 665: 660: 653: 648:John, from the 646: 637: 626: 617: 610:Spassky Gospels 607: 598: 592: 583: 580:British Library 576: 567: 560: 551: 544: 535: 528: 519: 513: 504: 494: 485: 478:Book of Mulling 474: 465: 455: 446: 435: 426: 412: 403: 400:Rossano Gospels 396: 387: 376: 367: 360: 351: 333: 324: 267: 259:Tassilo Chalice 230:Codex Amiatinus 223:, but from the 210: 132: 118:, or elaborate 91: 60:, the books of 48:, and later in 12: 11: 5: 758: 748: 747: 742: 737: 732: 718: 717: 703: 696: 687: 684: 681: 680: 662: 661: 659: 656: 655: 654: 647: 640: 638: 627: 620: 618: 608: 601: 599: 593: 586: 584: 577: 570: 568: 561: 554: 552: 545: 538: 536: 534:School, c. 840 529: 522: 520: 514: 507: 505: 495: 488: 486: 475: 468: 466: 456: 449: 447: 436: 429: 427: 419:Garima Gospels 413: 406: 404: 397: 390: 388: 377: 370: 368: 361: 354: 352: 334: 327: 323: 320: 266: 263: 209: 206: 143:Aachen Gospels 131: 128: 124:Roman theatres 122:structures of 109:(see also the 90: 87: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 757: 746: 743: 741: 738: 736: 733: 731: 730:Christian art 728: 727: 725: 716: 715:0-19-921060-8 712: 708: 704: 701: 697: 694: 690: 689: 677: 673: 667: 663: 652:(8th century) 651: 644: 639: 635: 631: 630:Andrei Rublev 624: 619: 615: 611: 605: 600: 596: 590: 585: 581: 574: 569: 565: 558: 553: 549: 542: 537: 533: 526: 521: 517: 511: 506: 503: 499: 492: 487: 483: 479: 472: 467: 463: 459: 453: 448: 444: 440: 433: 428: 424: 420: 417: 410: 405: 401: 394: 389: 385: 381: 374: 369: 365: 358: 353: 349: 345: 341: 337: 331: 326: 325: 319: 317: 313: 309: 305: 301: 297: 292: 287: 285: 284:Tree of Jesse 281: 271: 262: 260: 256: 252: 247: 244: 239: 235: 231: 226: 222: 218: 214: 205: 202: 199: 197: 193: 190: 187: 186:Old Testament 182: 180: 176: 172: 168: 164: 161:of John, the 160: 157:of Mark, the 156: 152: 144: 140: 136: 127: 125: 121: 117: 116:Scaenae frons 112: 108: 104: 100: 96: 86: 83: 79: 78:Their symbols 75: 71: 67: 63: 59: 55: 51: 47: 44: 41: 37: 33: 26: 22: 18: 706: 705:Otto Pächt, 699: 692: 666: 458:Imago Leonis 457: 437:Luke in the 386:has a chair. 340:Roman Virgil 288: 276: 248: 213:Late Antique 211: 203: 200: 183: 179:patron saint 148: 99:Late Antique 95:frontispiece 92: 82:illumination 46:Gospel Books 31: 30: 23:portrait of 225:Insular art 139:Carolingian 724:Categories 686:References 217:Maximianus 120:proscenium 614:Yaroslavl 498:interlace 338:from the 40:mediaeval 36:miniature 416:Ethiopic 298:and the 177:, whose 145:, c. 820 564:St Paul 322:Gallery 304:Muscovy 238:scrolls 192:Ezekiel 189:prophet 151:Insular 103:consuls 62:Matthew 56:of the 713:  595:Origen 530:Luke, 476:John, 344:scroll 336:Virgil 312:Jerome 243:haloes 175:Venice 72:, and 54:Gospel 50:Bibles 658:Notes 548:Tours 532:Fulda 384:Galen 348:codex 221:Milan 171:Angel 159:Eagle 711:ISBN 676:Ezra 516:Ebbo 423:Axum 232:and 167:Calf 155:Lion 74:John 70:Luke 66:Mark 25:Mark 219:in 194:of 165:or 726:: 612:, 163:Ox 126:. 68:, 64:, 550:. 445:. 350:.

Index


Codex Aureus of Lorsch
Mark
miniature
mediaeval
illuminated manuscript
Gospel Books
Bibles
Gospel
Four Evangelists
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Their symbols
illumination
frontispiece
Late Antique
consuls
Chronography of 354
Missorium of Theodosius I
Scaenae frons
proscenium
Roman theatres

Carolingian
Aachen Gospels
Insular
Lion
Eagle

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