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Medieval Manuscripts: The Lorsch Gospels

This week, Facsimile Finder unveils one of the richest manuscripts of Carolingian art – the Lorsch Gospels – a volume that Charlemagne himself may have held in his hands.

Around 810, the famous court scriptorium of Charlemagne at Aachen produced a glorious, exemplary book: the Lorsch Gospels. It is a collection of the Four Gospels of the New Testament, crafted by the most outstanding artists of the time.

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Described as Euvangelium pictum cum auro scriptum habens tabulas eburneas (illustrated Gospel Book, written in gold, with ivory covers), it first appears in a book record of the Lorsch Abbey dating back to around 860.

With its 473 pages, entirely written with gold ink, and its magnificent full-page illustrations, it is without doubt the most precious and well-kept manuscript of the abbey, and it was probably used only at rare occasions in the cloister. To underline its importance and artistic value, the Lorsch Gospels was bound in a magnificent ivory cover, representing the high point of early medieval art.

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Our thanks to Facsimile Finder for helping us create this post. You can learn more about this manuscript and see more images by visiting their website.

Please also check out their social media – TwitterInstagram and their Youtube Channel, which features dozens of videos of medieval manuscripts.

 

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