The Bamberg Apocalypse ( Bamberg State Library, Msc.Bibl.140) is an 11th-century richly

illuminated manuscript An illuminated manuscript is a formally prepared manuscript, document where the text is decorated with flourishes such as marginalia, borders and Miniature (illuminated manuscript), miniature illustrations. Often used in the Roman Catholic Churc ...

containing the pictorial cycle of the

Book of Revelation The Book of Revelation, also known as the Book of the Apocalypse or the Apocalypse of John, is the final book of the New Testament, and therefore the final book of the Bible#Christian Bible, Christian Bible. Written in Greek language, Greek, ...

and a

Gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

Lectionary A lectionary () is a book or listing that contains a collection of scripture readings appointed for Christianity, Christian or Judaism, Jewish worship on a given day or occasion. There are sub-types such as a "gospel lectionary" or evangeliary, ...

of the books of pericopes. This medieval illuminated manuscript was created during the

Ottonian dynasty The Ottonian dynasty () was a Saxons, Saxon dynasty of German monarchs (919–1024), named after three of its kings and Holy Roman emperors, especially Otto the Great. It is also known as the Saxon dynasty after the family's origin in the German ...

; was probably commissioned by Otto III, although, by less accounts,

Henry II Henry II may refer to: Kings * Saint Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor (972–1024), crowned King of Germany in 1002, of Italy in 1004 and Emperor in 1014 *Henry II of England (1133–89), reigned from 1154 *Henry II of Jerusalem and Cyprus (1271–1 ...

. It was completed sometime between 1000 and 1020. There is proof that Henry II donated this illuminated manuscript in 1020 to Collegiate Abbey of St. Stephan, on the occasion of its inauguration. The Bamberg Apocalypse is now located in the Bamberg State Library.

History

Origin

The date of completion is between 1000 and 1020. The Bamberg Apocalypse was created at the scriptorium at Reichenau.

Theme

The theme of this illuminated manuscript is the Apocalypse and commentaries on the Apocalypse by Beatus. Even though apocalyptic motifs are found in Early Christian art, there is no evidence of any existing apocalyptic manuscript until the Carolingian period. Apocalypse manuscripts were generally made in three different time periods:

Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid c ...

'','' Ottonian, and Romanesque''.'' The Bamberg Apocalypse belongs in the category of Ottonian Apocalypses. The Apocalypse was becoming an important theme not only to the elites but to the common believer during this period. Christians believed in the idea of Doomsday and believed it to be occurring during their era.

Patron

Many scholars debate over the patron of the Bamberg Apocalypse. It may have been commissioned by Otto III, who died suddenly in 1002, or by

who may have found the unfinished work at the scriptorium and ordered its completion. Henry II, along with his wife, Cunigunde, donated the manuscript to the newly established Collegiate Abbey of St. Stephan at Bamberg.

Description

Materials A material is a substance or mixture of substances that constitutes an object. Materials can be pure or impure, living or non-living matter. Materials can be classified on the basis of their physical and chemical properties, or on their ge ...

The manuscript has 106 folios and is illuminated with 57 gilded miniatures and over 100 gilded initials. The dimensions of this illuminated manuscript is 29.5 x 20.5 cm In 2003 it, along with other Ottonian manuscripts produced at Reichenau, was added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

Memory of the World UNESCO's Memory of the World (MoW) Programme is an international initiative to safeguard the documentary heritage of humanity against collective amnesia, neglect, decay over time and climatic conditions, as well as deliberate destruction. It ca ...

International Register.

Illuminations

The style of the Bamberg Apocalypse is closely related to other Reichenau manuscripts including the Pericopes of Henry II and the Munich Gospels of Otto III. The Bamberg Apocalypse has attracted the attention of many scholars for its rich imagery and text. The Bamberg Apocalypse contains fifty miniatures in various sizes juxtaposed with Biblical text. There is a generous amount of gold in the background with figures in performative poses. This manuscript is also noted for the gestures used in the figurative narrative, especially in the hands. The iconography used in this manuscript can be traced to

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...

influence. However, the Bamberg Apocalypse stands out on its own for its innovative representations of biblical text. For example, this manuscript is credited to being the first surviving representation of the

Last Judgement The Last Judgment is a concept found across the Abrahamic religions and the '' Frashokereti'' of Zoroastrianism. Christianity considers the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to entail the final judgment by God of all people who have ever lived, res ...

within a manuscript. On Folio 27v of the Bamberg Apocalypse is the first full depiction of Revelation 11 with a narrative divided into three key scenes. The figures on the top preach as the beast attacks two witness that then get resurrected on the bottom right register. The Bamberg Apocalyse is the only extant illustrated Ottonian

Apocalypse Apocalypse () is a literary genre originating in Judaism in the centuries following the Babylonian exile (597–587 BCE) but persisting in Christianity and Islam. In apocalypse, a supernatural being reveals cosmic mysteries or the future to a ...

manuscript.

Notes

References

* Forbes, Andrew ; Henley, David (2012). ''Apocalypse: The Illustrated Book of Revelation'' (with illuminated illustrations from the Bamberg apocalypse). Chiang Mai: Cognoscenti Books. ASIN: B008WAK9SS * Walther, Ingo F. and Norbert Wolf. ''Codices Illustres: The world's most famous illuminated manuscripts, 400 to 1600''. Köln, TASCHEN, 2005. * Ryan, Michael A (2016-01-01). ''Introduction: A Companion to the Premodern Apocalyse'', BRILL pp.1-17,
{{Authority control Book of Revelation Christian illuminated manuscripts 11th-century biblical manuscripts Ottonian illuminated manuscripts 11th-century illuminated manuscripts Henry II, Holy Roman Emperor Otto III, Holy Roman Emperor