Feminae: Medieval Women and Gender Index


  • Record Number: 18762
  • Author(s)/Creator(s): Heslop , T. A.
  • Contributor(s):
  • Title: The Production of De Luxe Manuscripts and the Patronage of King Cnut and Queen Emma [Many lavishly illustrated English Gospel books and devotional manuscripts were produced during the reign of King Cnut and Queen Emma. These luxury items were produced with royal money with the intent that they would be given as presents to powerful individuals in order to help secure allegiance to the crown or they were given (alongside valuable relics or artwork) to institutions like monasteries and churches in order to convey the donors’ piety. Evidence from the handwriting and illumination of Gospel books during the period suggests a large scale production by monastic scribes and artists who worked in close collaboration. Three Appendices. Appendix One lists lavishly illuminated Anglo-Saxon Gospels, 990-1030, with the name of the manuscript, its scribe(s), probable origin, and earliest known medieval ownership. Appendix Two provides excerpts from Latin accounts that give evidence of patronage of art and donation of relics by Cnut and Emma. Appendix Three gives bibliographical information on the Besancon and Copenhagen Gospel books, including information on foliation, ruling, scribes, artists, production sequence, date and origin. Title note supplied by Feminae.].
  • Source: Anglo-Saxon England 19, ( 1990): Pages 151 - 195.
  • Description:
  • Article Type: Journal Article
  • Subject (See Also): Art History- Decorative Arts Cnut, King of England and Denmark Emma, Queen of England and Denmark Gifts Illumination of Manuscripts Kings Literature- Prose Literature- Verse Manuscripts- Commission of Manuscripts- Production Monasticism Noble Men Noble Wo
  • Award Note:
  • Geographic Area: British Isles
  • Century: 11
  • Primary Evidence: Manuscript; 1) Gospel book produced in the early eleventh century by two scribes and one artist working incollaboration (Besancon, Bibliotheque Municipale, 14). Illuminations include a figure drawing in the canon tables page and a portrait of the evangelist Matthew a
  • Illustrations: Seven Figures. Figure One Manuscript, eleventh century (Besancon, Bibliotheque Municipale, 14, 18v). Detail of manuscript features eight lines of the scribe’s handwriting. Figure Two Manuscript, eleventh century (Besancon, Bibliotheque Municipale, 14, 19r). Detail of manuscript~~features seven lines of the scribe’s handwriting, along with two large initial letters. Figure Three Manuscript, eleventh century (London, British Library, Additional 49598, 7v). Detail of manuscript features five lines of the scribe’s handwriting and a large initial P. Figure Four Manuscript~~Illumination on the display page of an eleventh century Gospel book features an archway with decorated columns and a large initial D beneath the arch (London, British Library, Additional 49598, 68r). Figure Five Manuscript Illumination from an eleventh century Gospel book features a~~decorative border and two robed figures with a large hand descending from the heavens between them (Oxford, Bodleian Library, Bodley 579, 49r). Figure Six Manuscript Illumination features two circles arranged vertically between two columns, each circle containing a haloed figure (detail of Besancon, Bibliotheque Municipale, 14, 10v). Figure Seven Manuscript Illumination features a haloed angel standing beside a haloed evangelist holding a pen and writing in a book (detail of Besancon, Bibliotheque~~Municipale, 14, 58v).
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  • Year of Publication: 1990.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN/ISBN: 02636751