Property from the Estate of ROUBEN TER-ARUTANIAN
FOUR GOSPELS [AWETARAN] IN ARMENIAN, copied by the scribe Alek'san, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
Details
FOUR GOSPELS [AWETARAN] IN ARMENIAN, copied by the scribe Alek'san, ILLUMINATED MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM
[Noranisik, province of Ernjak, near Erevan, A.D. 1669]
180 x 132mm, 301 leaves + 2 12th-century folded flyleaves, APPARENTLY COMPLETE. Collation: 12, 2-2612 (lacks 26/9, possibly cancelled; with final blank leaf). Original quire signatures throughout, with recent pencil foliation, 22 lines, double column, ruled in plummet, justification: 125 x 80mm, written in black ink in a regular bolorgir hand, concordance numbers in lower margin in small bolorgir, headings in red and gold, versal initials in gold and blue uncials, ILLUMINATED CHAPTER INITIALS IN ELABORATE ZOOMORPHIC FORMS, mostly exotic birds and fishes; MARGINAL DECORATIONS OF PAINTED STYLIZED FLORAL AND FOLIATE ORNAMENTS, some incorporating animals, in bright blue, gold, green and pink, 69 SMALL MINIATURES in outer border illustrating the life of Christ, 4 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES OF THE EVANGELISTS and 4 LARGE ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECES on facing pages.
SILVER GILT REPOUSSÉ BINDING:
Original red leather over wooden boards, lined with green silk doublures, encased in silver covers with a flexible link-and-rod spine, outer flap on three hinges. Sides with silver filigree borders and cherub head cornerpieces. The upper cover in relief depicts the Crucifixion, the figure on the left of Christ inscribed "Surb Astuacacin" (Holy Mother of God), and on the right "Surb Mariam" (Holy Mary). Two angels above the Crucifix, and a small bearded head below. The lower cover has a silver gilt plaque of the Virgin and Child with four heads of cherubs at corners. A filigree cross is attached to the cover. Outer flap with filigree rosettes in four compartments.
This is the original binding and according to the colophon it was designed by Nahapet, brother of Isahak Vardapet and executed by Smawon Vardapet, in the region of Lake Sevan.
PROVENANCE:
1.The colophon on folios 298-300 gives a full account of the circumstances of the making of the manuscript, involving an important period in the history of Armenia, and particularly of Erevan. The manuscript was copied by the priest Alek'san in the village of Noranisik in the province of Ernjak near Erevan, at the request of Yohan Vardapet, for his sister, the nun Lukiay, during the catholicate of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin of Yakob IV Julayeci (of New Julfa; 1655-1680), when Shah Sefi the Younger ruled Persia and Sultan Ahmad the Ottoman Empire, in 1118 Armenian era (i.e. A.D. 1669). The colophon records the construction of the monastery of Xot Virap in the plain of Ararat where, according to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator had been confined. The churches of the Holy Virgin and of the Holy Illuminator were built in 1662, with a shrine built by Khoja Smawon Agulec'i for the relics of Saints Vardan Vardapet Arewelc'i and Nerses Msec'i, the founders of the 13th-century monastery. The colophon also describes important events relating to the lives of Catholicos Philippos I Albakec'i (1633-55), Mouses III Sinnec'i (1629-32), as well as the invasion of Erevan by Sultan Murad.
The donor of the manuscript is also mentioned on f. 136, "Remember the receiver of this, Yohan Vardapet in the year 1118 (i.e. A.D. 1669)"; f. 227 "Remember my spiritual parent the holy and blessed Catholicos Ter P'ilippos, who died in the year 1104 (i.e. A.D. 1655)", and "O Holy John (referring to the Evangelist) remember the sinful Yovhannes".
2.The seals of the Bishop of Ernjak, dated 1136 (i.e. A.D. 1687) and name Eremia, are stamped on folios 3, 5v, 82v, 227v, 301v. Also a seal of the priest Ter Harut'iwn dated 1265 (A.D. 1816).
3.An inscription on verso of f.1 states: I, the deacon Sargis, who has just learnt the art of writing, am from the city of Kars (Eastern Turkey), which I left in the year 1207 (15 May 1758).
TEXT:
Following the recent pencil foliation, which omits folio 225: Gospels: St. Matthew (ff. 3-80); St. Mark, including Chapter xvi, verses 9-20 (ff. 80v-133); St. Luke (ff.133v-224); St. John (ff. 224v-292); the Repose of St. John (ff. 292v-298); followed by the colophon on ff. 298-300v. Folio 1 has an extract from St. John 6: 59-65, folio 2 is blank.
THE FOLDED FLY LEAVES, front and back, are from a 12th-century folio manuscript on vellum, written double column in a clear medium uncial (erkat'agir), a fragment of Johannes Chrysostomus' commentary on Psalm 42.
DECORATION:
This is one of the finest surviving manuscripts from the school of Erevan in the 17th century. Written when the Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin was decorated in a 'Persian' floral design by the Armenian artists Nalas Yovnat'anian and his grandson Yovnat'an Yovnat'anian, under the patronage of Catholicos Yakob IV Julayec (1655-1680). The headpieces in the manuscript clearly derive from this. The colophon states that it is decorated 'in lavish gold and multi-shades of colours'.
THE FULL-PAGE MINIATURES represent
folio 5v. St. Matthew
folio 82v. St. Mark
folio 136v. St. Luke
folio 227v. St. John and Prochoros
Facing each of the Evangelists are the large ornamental headpieces for each Gospel, on folios 6, 83, 137 and 228.
THE 69 MARGINAL MINIATURES in the outer borders form a visual commentary on the text. They are chosen to stress specific texts of exegetical importance. Each Gospel has its own programme of illustration with no effort to eliminate repetition. There is not always an exact correspondence between the text of a given verse and the image that accompanies it, explained by the fact that the passage illustrated may occur in the inner columns of the text, while the miniature had to be painted in the outer margin. The programme of illustration in the present manuscript is unusually dense. A detailed discussion of these illustrative cycles can be found in V. Nersessian, Armenian Illuminated Gospel Books, 1987, pp. 87ff.
THE MINIATURES, ARRANGED BY EVANGELISTS, ARE:
St. Matthew's Gospel
f. 23 A disciple praying to Christ
f. 78v Joseph of Arimathea (27:57)
St. Mark's Gospel
f. 131v Joseph of Arimathea (15:42)
St. Luke's Gospel
f. 160 Jesus, the Centurion, and the salve at Capernaum (7:2)
f. 161 Jesus and two of his disciples at Nain (7:11)
f. 163 Jesus seated at table with two Pharisees and a woman "who was a sinner" anointing His feet (7:37-38)
f. 164v Jesus, Peter, and the woman who anointed His feet (7:46)
f. 166 Jesus asleep in a boat with two disciples (8:24-25)
f. 169 Jesus and three disciples (9:1-2)
f. 170v The Transfiguration. Christ on a mountain attended by Elijah and Moses; three disciples asleep below (9:28-30)
f. 172 Jesus, and a man whose son was seized by a demon (9:37-38)
f. 173 Jesus, James and John (9:54)
f. 174 Jesus sending the "seventy" to preach (10:1-2)
f. 175v Jesus and the lawyer (10:25)
f. 177 Jesus praying with two disciples (11:1-2)
f. 178 Jesus casting out a dumb man's demon (11:14)
f. 182v Jesus and the rich man (16:1-2)
f. 185v Jesus and a Pharisee (12:13-14)
f. 187 Jesus and a woman who had a spirit of infirmity (13:10)
f. 189v Jesus at the house of the ruler and the man who had dropsy (14:1-3)
f. 198v Jesus and two disciples (17:22)
f. 200 The Pharisee and the tax collector praying at the Temple (18:9-10)
f. 201 Jesus blessing two infants (18:15)
f. 202v Jesus followed by a group of disciples and a blind man in Jericho (18:35)
f. 204v Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus seated on a donkey, followed by a group of disciples. Behind them a man on a palm tree. (19:28-35)
f. 206 Jesus and the head priest and scribe (20:1-2)
f. 208 Jesus and the Saducees (20:27)
f. 209v Jesus, two rich men, and the poor widow in the temple (21:1-4) f. 212 The chief priest and Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus (22:3-4)
f. 213 The Last Supper (22:14)
f. 216 Jesus and Peter (22:60-62)
f. 220 Joseph of Arimathea (23:50)
f. 223 Jesus carrying a cross, standing with two disciples kneeling at His feet (24:36-37)
St. John's Gospel
f. 231 Jesus with Phillip (1:45)
f. 231v Jesus blessing the jars of water at Canaa (2:6-7)
f. 232v Jesus, with His mother and brothers (2:12)
f. 233 Jesus blessing a man (3:1)
f. 235 Jesus and John (3:22-23)
f. 236 Jesus and a Pharisee (4:1-4)
f. 237v Jesus and the woman of Samaria carrying a pitcher (4:7)
f. 238v Jesus and the woman (4:27)
f. 239v Jesus blessing the sick man at the pool of Bethesda (5:2-3)
f. 241 Jesus and Phillip (6:5)
f. 242 Jesus and a disciple (7:2-3)
f. 243 Jesus and a disciple (7:37)
f. 244v Jesus in a boat with two disciples in a storm (6:16)
f. 245v Jesus and a disciple (6:35)
f. 248 Jesus and a disciple (7:2)
f. 249v Jesus and a Jew (7:24)
f. 250v Jesus preaching (7:37)
f. 251v Jesus with the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery (7:53-8:11)
f. 252 Jesus and a Jew (8:12)
f. 253 Jesus and a disciple (8:21)
f. 253v Jesus and a Jew (8:31)
f. 255v Jesus healing a man blind from birth (9:1-2)
f. 259 Jesus blessing a flock of sheep (10:11)
f. 261 The Raising of Lazarus (11:17-19)
f. 266 Entry into Jerusalem. Christ on a donkey and a man carrying a palm branch (12:12-13)
f. 267 Grain of wheat and Jesus with a disciple (12:24-27)
f. 268v Jesus preaching (12:44)
f. 270 Jesus and disciples (13:16)
f. 271 Jesus and disciples (13:31)
f. 283 Jesus before Caiaphas (18:28)
f. 285v Jesus carrying the Cross (19:17)
f. 287 Joseph of Arimathea (19:38)
f. 289 Jesus appearing to Thomas (20:19)
f. 290 Jesus appearing to the disciples (21:1-2) (rubbed)
f. 291 Jesus and Simon Peter (21:15)
f. 292v John the Beloved disciple (Repose of St. John)
[Noranisik, province of Ernjak, near Erevan, A.D. 1669]
180 x 132mm, 301 leaves + 2 12th-century folded flyleaves, APPARENTLY COMPLETE. Collation: 12, 2-2612 (lacks 26/9, possibly cancelled; with final blank leaf). Original quire signatures throughout, with recent pencil foliation, 22 lines, double column, ruled in plummet, justification: 125 x 80mm, written in black ink in a regular bolorgir hand, concordance numbers in lower margin in small bolorgir, headings in red and gold, versal initials in gold and blue uncials, ILLUMINATED CHAPTER INITIALS IN ELABORATE ZOOMORPHIC FORMS, mostly exotic birds and fishes; MARGINAL DECORATIONS OF PAINTED STYLIZED FLORAL AND FOLIATE ORNAMENTS, some incorporating animals, in bright blue, gold, green and pink, 69 SMALL MINIATURES in outer border illustrating the life of Christ, 4 FULL-PAGE MINIATURES OF THE EVANGELISTS and 4 LARGE ORNAMENTAL HEADPIECES on facing pages.
SILVER GILT REPOUSSÉ BINDING:
Original red leather over wooden boards, lined with green silk doublures, encased in silver covers with a flexible link-and-rod spine, outer flap on three hinges. Sides with silver filigree borders and cherub head cornerpieces. The upper cover in relief depicts the Crucifixion, the figure on the left of Christ inscribed "Surb Astuacacin" (Holy Mother of God), and on the right "Surb Mariam" (Holy Mary). Two angels above the Crucifix, and a small bearded head below. The lower cover has a silver gilt plaque of the Virgin and Child with four heads of cherubs at corners. A filigree cross is attached to the cover. Outer flap with filigree rosettes in four compartments.
This is the original binding and according to the colophon it was designed by Nahapet, brother of Isahak Vardapet and executed by Smawon Vardapet, in the region of Lake Sevan.
PROVENANCE:
1.The colophon on folios 298-300 gives a full account of the circumstances of the making of the manuscript, involving an important period in the history of Armenia, and particularly of Erevan. The manuscript was copied by the priest Alek'san in the village of Noranisik in the province of Ernjak near Erevan, at the request of Yohan Vardapet, for his sister, the nun Lukiay, during the catholicate of the Holy See of Etchmiadzin of Yakob IV Julayeci (of New Julfa; 1655-1680), when Shah Sefi the Younger ruled Persia and Sultan Ahmad the Ottoman Empire, in 1118 Armenian era (i.e. A.D. 1669). The colophon records the construction of the monastery of Xot Virap in the plain of Ararat where, according to tradition, St. Gregory the Illuminator had been confined. The churches of the Holy Virgin and of the Holy Illuminator were built in 1662, with a shrine built by Khoja Smawon Agulec'i for the relics of Saints Vardan Vardapet Arewelc'i and Nerses Msec'i, the founders of the 13th-century monastery. The colophon also describes important events relating to the lives of Catholicos Philippos I Albakec'i (1633-55), Mouses III Sinnec'i (1629-32), as well as the invasion of Erevan by Sultan Murad.
The donor of the manuscript is also mentioned on f. 136, "Remember the receiver of this, Yohan Vardapet in the year 1118 (i.e. A.D. 1669)"; f. 227 "Remember my spiritual parent the holy and blessed Catholicos Ter P'ilippos, who died in the year 1104 (i.e. A.D. 1655)", and "O Holy John (referring to the Evangelist) remember the sinful Yovhannes".
2.The seals of the Bishop of Ernjak, dated 1136 (i.e. A.D. 1687) and name Eremia, are stamped on folios 3, 5v, 82v, 227v, 301v. Also a seal of the priest Ter Harut'iwn dated 1265 (A.D. 1816).
3.An inscription on verso of f.1 states: I, the deacon Sargis, who has just learnt the art of writing, am from the city of Kars (Eastern Turkey), which I left in the year 1207 (15 May 1758).
TEXT:
Following the recent pencil foliation, which omits folio 225: Gospels: St. Matthew (ff. 3-80); St. Mark, including Chapter xvi, verses 9-20 (ff. 80v-133); St. Luke (ff.133v-224); St. John (ff. 224v-292); the Repose of St. John (ff. 292v-298); followed by the colophon on ff. 298-300v. Folio 1 has an extract from St. John 6: 59-65, folio 2 is blank.
THE FOLDED FLY LEAVES, front and back, are from a 12th-century folio manuscript on vellum, written double column in a clear medium uncial (erkat'agir), a fragment of Johannes Chrysostomus' commentary on Psalm 42.
DECORATION:
This is one of the finest surviving manuscripts from the school of Erevan in the 17th century. Written when the Cathedral of St. Etchmiadzin was decorated in a 'Persian' floral design by the Armenian artists Nalas Yovnat'anian and his grandson Yovnat'an Yovnat'anian, under the patronage of Catholicos Yakob IV Julayec (1655-1680). The headpieces in the manuscript clearly derive from this. The colophon states that it is decorated 'in lavish gold and multi-shades of colours'.
THE FULL-PAGE MINIATURES represent
folio 5v. St. Matthew
folio 82v. St. Mark
folio 136v. St. Luke
folio 227v. St. John and Prochoros
Facing each of the Evangelists are the large ornamental headpieces for each Gospel, on folios 6, 83, 137 and 228.
THE 69 MARGINAL MINIATURES in the outer borders form a visual commentary on the text. They are chosen to stress specific texts of exegetical importance. Each Gospel has its own programme of illustration with no effort to eliminate repetition. There is not always an exact correspondence between the text of a given verse and the image that accompanies it, explained by the fact that the passage illustrated may occur in the inner columns of the text, while the miniature had to be painted in the outer margin. The programme of illustration in the present manuscript is unusually dense. A detailed discussion of these illustrative cycles can be found in V. Nersessian, Armenian Illuminated Gospel Books, 1987, pp. 87ff.
THE MINIATURES, ARRANGED BY EVANGELISTS, ARE:
St. Matthew's Gospel
f. 23 A disciple praying to Christ
f. 78v Joseph of Arimathea (27:57)
St. Mark's Gospel
f. 131v Joseph of Arimathea (15:42)
St. Luke's Gospel
f. 160 Jesus, the Centurion, and the salve at Capernaum (7:2)
f. 161 Jesus and two of his disciples at Nain (7:11)
f. 163 Jesus seated at table with two Pharisees and a woman "who was a sinner" anointing His feet (7:37-38)
f. 164v Jesus, Peter, and the woman who anointed His feet (7:46)
f. 166 Jesus asleep in a boat with two disciples (8:24-25)
f. 169 Jesus and three disciples (9:1-2)
f. 170v The Transfiguration. Christ on a mountain attended by Elijah and Moses; three disciples asleep below (9:28-30)
f. 172 Jesus, and a man whose son was seized by a demon (9:37-38)
f. 173 Jesus, James and John (9:54)
f. 174 Jesus sending the "seventy" to preach (10:1-2)
f. 175v Jesus and the lawyer (10:25)
f. 177 Jesus praying with two disciples (11:1-2)
f. 178 Jesus casting out a dumb man's demon (11:14)
f. 182v Jesus and the rich man (16:1-2)
f. 185v Jesus and a Pharisee (12:13-14)
f. 187 Jesus and a woman who had a spirit of infirmity (13:10)
f. 189v Jesus at the house of the ruler and the man who had dropsy (14:1-3)
f. 198v Jesus and two disciples (17:22)
f. 200 The Pharisee and the tax collector praying at the Temple (18:9-10)
f. 201 Jesus blessing two infants (18:15)
f. 202v Jesus followed by a group of disciples and a blind man in Jericho (18:35)
f. 204v Entry into Jerusalem. Jesus seated on a donkey, followed by a group of disciples. Behind them a man on a palm tree. (19:28-35)
f. 206 Jesus and the head priest and scribe (20:1-2)
f. 208 Jesus and the Saducees (20:27)
f. 209v Jesus, two rich men, and the poor widow in the temple (21:1-4) f. 212 The chief priest and Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus (22:3-4)
f. 213 The Last Supper (22:14)
f. 216 Jesus and Peter (22:60-62)
f. 220 Joseph of Arimathea (23:50)
f. 223 Jesus carrying a cross, standing with two disciples kneeling at His feet (24:36-37)
St. John's Gospel
f. 231 Jesus with Phillip (1:45)
f. 231v Jesus blessing the jars of water at Canaa (2:6-7)
f. 232v Jesus, with His mother and brothers (2:12)
f. 233 Jesus blessing a man (3:1)
f. 235 Jesus and John (3:22-23)
f. 236 Jesus and a Pharisee (4:1-4)
f. 237v Jesus and the woman of Samaria carrying a pitcher (4:7)
f. 238v Jesus and the woman (4:27)
f. 239v Jesus blessing the sick man at the pool of Bethesda (5:2-3)
f. 241 Jesus and Phillip (6:5)
f. 242 Jesus and a disciple (7:2-3)
f. 243 Jesus and a disciple (7:37)
f. 244v Jesus in a boat with two disciples in a storm (6:16)
f. 245v Jesus and a disciple (6:35)
f. 248 Jesus and a disciple (7:2)
f. 249v Jesus and a Jew (7:24)
f. 250v Jesus preaching (7:37)
f. 251v Jesus with the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery (7:53-8:11)
f. 252 Jesus and a Jew (8:12)
f. 253 Jesus and a disciple (8:21)
f. 253v Jesus and a Jew (8:31)
f. 255v Jesus healing a man blind from birth (9:1-2)
f. 259 Jesus blessing a flock of sheep (10:11)
f. 261 The Raising of Lazarus (11:17-19)
f. 266 Entry into Jerusalem. Christ on a donkey and a man carrying a palm branch (12:12-13)
f. 267 Grain of wheat and Jesus with a disciple (12:24-27)
f. 268v Jesus preaching (12:44)
f. 270 Jesus and disciples (13:16)
f. 271 Jesus and disciples (13:31)
f. 283 Jesus before Caiaphas (18:28)
f. 285v Jesus carrying the Cross (19:17)
f. 287 Joseph of Arimathea (19:38)
f. 289 Jesus appearing to Thomas (20:19)
f. 290 Jesus appearing to the disciples (21:1-2) (rubbed)
f. 291 Jesus and Simon Peter (21:15)
f. 292v John the Beloved disciple (Repose of St. John)