The Velislav Bible is one of the most beautiful medieval Bohemian manuscripts. It is a heavily illustrated manuscript that contains only short selections of the text, that instruct the reader about the story depicted. The last picture in the manuscript shows a man kneeling before St. Catherine, identified as Velislav, hence the name of the manuscript. The Bible comprises stories from the Books of Genesis and Exodus, visions of Daniel, and the stories of Samson as well as of Judith. The narrative of the Antichrist precedes the Christological part. The New Testament continues with the Book of Revelation, stories following the Ascension of Christ, and key events from the lives of St. Peter and St. Paul. The manuscript closes with the legend of St. Wenceslas, the patron saint of Bohemia. The essays in The Velislav Bible, Finest Picture-Bible of the Late Middle Ages: Biblia depicta as Devotional, Mnemonic and Study Tool analyze the manuscript from historical, textual, art-historical, and iconographic perspectives. However, a shared concern of all the authors is to think about its functions. An edition of the Latin titulis is being published here for the first time.
- Cover
- Table of Contents
- I. Studying the Velislav Bible
- An Overview
- Anna Kernbach and Lenka Panušková
- II. Image and Text in the Velislav Bible
- On the Interpretation of an Illuminated Codex
- Anna Kernbach and Lenka Panušková
- III. The Velislav Bible in the Context of Late Medieval Biblical Retellings and Mnemonic Aids
- IV. The Books of Genesis and Exodus in the Picture Bibles
- V. The Life of Antichrist in the Velislav Bible
- VI. The Antichrist Cycle in the Velislav Bible and the Representation of the Intellectual Community
- VII. Ibi predicit hominibus: In Search of the Practical Function of the Velislav Bible
- VIII. The Velislav Bible: Critical Edition with Commentary
- Bibliography
- Index
- List of Illustrations
- I Studying the Velislav Bible
- Figure I.1 Velislav in adoration of St. Catherine (below)
- Figure I.2 Vision of Holy Trinity
- Figure I.3 Liber depictus
- Figure I.4 Mater dolorosa, Passionale of Abbess Kunigonde
- Figure I.5 Joachim del Fiore, Commentary on the Book of Isaiah
- Figure I.6 Premyslid flaming eagle on the shield (above)
- II Image and Text in the Velislav Bible
- Figure II.1 Closure of Paradise; Elias and Enoch
- Figure II.2 Story of Tamar
- Figure II.3 Execution of the two lechers (above)
- Figure II.4 St. Peter’s story
- Figure II.5 St. Clement’s legend
- III The Velislav Bible in the Context of Late Medieval Biblical Retellings and Mnemonic Aids
- Figure III.1 Isaac and two young servants (above)
- Figure III.2 The Decalogue
- Figure III.3 Visual aid for remembering the Decalogue , five senses and seven mortal sins
- Figure III.4 Jacob and Esau
- Figure III.5 Twins Perez and Zerah (above)
- IV The Books of Genesis and Exodus in the Picture Bibles
- Figure IV.1 Eve spinning
- Figure IV.2 Cain’s life
- Figure IV.3 Zillah and Adah
- Figure IV. 4 Zillah’s children (above)
- Figure IV.5 Naamah spinning
- Figure IV.6 Sarah with spindle
- Figure IV.7 Enoch and Noah with his sons
- Figure IV.8 Noah dispatches the dove (below)
- Figure IV.9 Noah’s Ark
- Figure IV.10 Noah’s sacrifice (above)
- Figure IV.11 Noah blesses his sons (above)
- Figure IV.12 Tower of Babel (left) and story of Abraham (right, below)
- Figure IV.13 Abraham and Sarah coming to Egypt (below)
- Figure IV.14 Rescue of Moses from the Nile
- Figure IV.15 Pharaoh’s command to Hebrew midwives (below)
- Figure IV.16 Amram carrying Moses into the Nile and Rescue of Moses
- Figure IV.17 Moses receives the ring (above)
- Figure IV.18 Moses accepted by the pharaoh’s daughter (above)
- Figure IV.19 Moses kills an Egyptian (above)
- Figure IV.20 Moses escapes punishment (above)
- Figure IV.21 Moses on Horeb (below)
- Figure IV.22 Moses and the burning bush (below)
- Figure IV.23 Moses and Aaron before the pharaoh (above)
- Figure IV.24 The pharaoh’s servants bringing Moses back (above)
- Figure IV.25 Crossing the Red Sea (below)
- Figure IV.26 Crossing the Red Sea
- Figure IV.27 Moses receiving the Decalogue (above)
- Figure IV.28 Writing Moses (above)
- Figure IV.29 Good Shepherd
- Figure IV.30 Judit
- V The Life of Antichrist in the Velislav Bible
- Figure V.1 Birth of Antichrist (below)
- Figure V.2 Burning of the books (below)
- VI The Antichrist Cycle in the Velislav Bible and the Representation of the Intellectual Community
- Figure VI.1 The Antichrist cycle from the south-facing window in the church of the Virgin Mary in Frankfurt an der Oder
- Figure VI.2 Miracle with the speaking column (above)
- Figure VI.3 Circumcision of Antichrist (below)
- Figure VI.4 Deception of gifts and presents (above)
- Figure VI.5 Revealing treasures hidden in the mountains (above)
- Figure VI.6 Disputation of Antichrist with theologians and philosophers (below)
- Figure VI.7 Destroying of and building of a new temple
- VII Ibi predicit hominibus: In Search of the Practical Function of the Velislav Bible
- Figure VII.1 Duke Spytihněv founding the churches of the Virgin Mary and of St. Peter (above)
- Figure VII.2 Duke Vratislav builds the Basilica of St. George (above)
- Figure VII.3 The Basilica of St. Vitus (above)
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