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Ende (or En) is the first known Spanish female
manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand or typewritten, as opposed to mechanically printed or reproduced in some indirect or automated way. More recently, the term has ...
illuminator to have her work documented through inscription: ENDE PINTRIX ET D(E)I AIUTRIX in the colophon of the '' Gerona Beatus''. Most information about her comes down to the inscription in her artwork as there was no other record. Her lifetime is not known but can be assumed based on the inscription era in the Gerona Beatus: AD 975. The appellation of “dei aiutrix” alludes to the fact that she was probably a nun however it has been found what her foundation was. There are a number of hands discernible in the manuscripts. The chief scribe was a priest called Senior. Historians have also attributed elements of the manuscripts to Emetrius, whose style is attributable in comparison to an earlier signed work. However, based on painting style attributes, some theorists conclude that nearly all of the manuscript illustrations were completed by Ende.


Gerona Beatus

Ende worked on the 10th-century codex known as the Gerona Beatus, along with the monk Emeterius. The codex features the ''
Commentary on the Apocalypse The ''Commentary on the Apocalypse'' (Commentaria in Apocalypsin) is a Latin commentary on the biblical ''Book of Revelation'' written around 776 by the Spanish monk and theologian Beatus of Liébana (c. 730–after 785).Williams (2017), 22 The ...
'' by the Spanish monk
Beatus of Liébana Beatus of Liébana (; ) was a monk, theologian, and author of the '' Commentary on the Apocalypse'', mostly a compendium of previous authorities' views on the biblical '' Book of Revelation'' or ''Apocalypse of John''. This had a local influenc ...
, of which 26 illustrated copies are known to exist, paired with
Jerome Jerome (; ; ; – 30 September 420), also known as Jerome of Stridon, was an early Christian presbyter, priest, Confessor of the Faith, confessor, theologian, translator, and historian; he is commonly known as Saint Jerome. He is best known ...
's commentary on the
Book of Daniel The Book of Daniel is a 2nd-century BC biblical apocalypse with a 6th-century BC setting. It is ostensibly a narrative detailing the experiences and Prophecy, prophetic visions of Daniel, a Jewish Babylonian captivity, exile in Babylon ...
. The Gerona Beatus was probably created at the monastery of Tabara in northwest
Spain Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, being completed on July 6, 975. The illuminations illustrate the Apocalyptic Vision of St. John the Divine in 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, ...
in the Mozarabic style. This style developed in Spain after the Muslim invasions, blending elements of Islamic art and decorative traditions, particularly the emphasis on geometry, rich colors, ornamented grounds, and stylized figures. There is debate over whether Ende did most of the work, or if she was there to help Emeterius with what was considered “womanly” skills, such as decoration and delicate images. Emeterius is known to have worked on a previous version of Beatus' commentary known as the Tabara Beatus. However, comparisons between the illustration styles of the two codices show consistent differences that suggest Ende. Notably, Ende appears to have made frequent use of stratified backgrounds. This is the technique seen in art where the image is split into three areas. In Ende's case, she split the background into heaven, a horizon of the human world, and the ground level of the world. In addition, the colors in the Gerona Beatus are more intense than those in the Tabara Beatus, with significant use of yellow, dark blue, and orange.


References


Further reading

*Chadwick, Whitney, ''Women, Art, and Society,'' Thames and Hudson, London, 1990 *Harris, Anne Sutherland and
Linda Nochlin Linda Nochlin (''née'' Weinberg; January 30, 1931 – October 29, 2017) was an American art historian, Lila Acheson Wallace Professor Emerita of Modern Art at New York University Institute of Fine Arts, and writer. As a prominent feminist art hi ...
, ''Women Artists: 1550-1950'', Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Knopf, New York, 1976 {{DEFAULTSORT:Ende Manuscript illuminators Spanish women illustrators Year of birth unknown Year of death unknown 10th-century artists Medieval Spanish artists 10th-century Spanish women 10th-century people from the Kingdom of León Medieval Spanish women artists