Haimo of Auxerre, Commentary on Revelation, etc., with Apocalypse miniatures; Germany (south-west), mid-12th century

Title

Haimo of Auxerre, Commentary on Revelation, etc., with Apocalypse miniatures; Germany (south-west), mid-12th century

Shelfmark

MS. Bodl. 352

Place of origin

Germany (south-west)

Date

12th century, middle (?)

Language

Latin

Middle English (1100-1500)

Contents

Form

codex

Support

parchment

Physical extent

i (modern paper) + 1 (lifted pastedown) + 3 (early-modern (?) endleaves) + 150 (fols. vi-149) + 2 (early-modern (?) endleaves) + 1 (lifted pastedown) + i (modern paper)

Hands

Protogothic

Decoration

Twenty full-page miniatures; the first a coloured drawing with plain parchment background, the rest fully-painted, with backgrounds of gold and colours. The miniatures in an Office and Mass for St Michael and All Angels (Brussels, BR, MS. 3089), have been described as ‘closely related in style’ (Pächt & Alexander, I, no. 66), and the iconography is in many ways comparable, but the similarities are perhaps somewhat generic rather than indicative of a direct relationship. (fol. vi verso) A monk identified in a caption as ‘Rudolphus’ (an uncoloured drawing) presenting a book to St Blaise (larger and fully coloured), with a halo, ecclesiastical vestments, and holding a crozier, under the inscription ‘Accipias digne Blasi sacer atque benigne’. As Kauffmann (1959, no. 11) observed, this dedication miniature is neither integral nor in the same style (or, it may be added, technique) as the other miniatures, and is thus perhaps an addition. (fol. 4v) Pentecost: Twelve male figures with halos (apostles?) sit in an inverted ‘U’ configuration, that at the top appears to have a tonsure and makes a sign of benediction, the four closest to him each hold a book, of which those immediately to either side of him are the only two that are bearded; several others also blessing; above them four angels, two of them holding a shield-shaped object with a gold ‘T’ (or cross?) on a red ground, overlapped by the Hand of God. (fols. 5r–13v) Eighteen miniatures illustrating the Apocalypse, typically each in three horizontal tiers, some divided vertically, incorporating and framed by inscriptions. St John is depicted with a square tonsure.

One large miniature/historiated initial: (fol. 14r) A large saint identified as ‘Iohannes evangelista’, blessing a cowled abbot(?) holding a large book and identified as ‘Matth'i’ [Matthias?], who is presented by an angel.

(fols. 1r, 60r, 73r, 85r, 130v) Pen-drawn foliate initials on parti-coloured grounds, typically 4–6 lines high. (fol. 44r) Pen-drawn foliate initial in plain red.

Minor initials in plain red.

Binding

Sewn on five bands and bound in plain brown calf over pasteboards. Fols. vi, 149, 152 with five rust-stained holes in a quincunx pattern, doubtless caused by the metal fittings of a former (medieval?) binding. The upper half of the other former pastedown (fol. ii) with marks from the turn-ins of a former tanned leather (post-medieval?) binding. Numbered ‘352’ in 19th(?)-century white paint at the top of the spine.

Acquisition

Sir John Scudamore in 1603 presented £40 to the Library, with which this MS. and about 114 printed books were purchased. Former Bodleian shelfmarks ‘Th. S. 5. 13’ and ‘NE F. 7. 3.’ (fol. iii r).

Provenance

The early provenance of the manuscript is uncertain. B. Polaczek, Apokalypseillustration des 12. Jahrhunderts und weibliche Frömmigkeit: Die Handschriften Brüssel, Bibliothèque Royale Albert 1 er , Ms. 3089 und Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms. Bodl. 352 (Weimar, 1998) argued that it originated in the same scriptorium as Brussels BR MS. 3089 (above, Decoration), which was made for a community of female religious, and that both were likely to have been made for a double monastery of male and female religious in south-west Germany. She considered Muri, Engelberg, St Blaise and Rheinau as possibilities, seeming to find the last most likely. The dedication miniature on fol. vi v indicates a connection with St Blaise, but as noted above, Decoration, this miniature may be an addition.

Erased 13th(?)-century inscription (fol. vi r): probably Dis buch heiset Apocalipsis.

13th-century notes in crayon: 'monial. sancti damiani in Argen.' (fol. 101r), probably the Damianite nuns, aftewards Poor Clares of Strasbourg; 'Godefridus de Kelsse' (fol. 125r) (Kelz, near Düren?; perhaps cf. Kaeppelli II.47).

‘Lib. ab [ … ] [ … ] Recordare’, by an English 14th-century (?) hand (fol. ii v; partly erased, partly excised).

Extensive marginalia by a 15th-century English hand (mixed anglicana and secretary forms), including a note in English, fol. 30v; annotation in an (English (?)) humanist-influenced hand, fol. 104v.

‘Iste liber constat magistro | Willelmo Greshvm’ (the name erased), late 15th century (fol. ii v): apparently William Gresholme (Greshum, Gresscholme), fl. 1483–1498: Emden, BRUO, II.822