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Limoges Cospel Book Cover | MS 4613

LIMOGES GOSPEL

MS 4613
MS Short Title LIMOGES GOSPEL BOOK COVER
Description Upper cover of a Gospel book, originally on wooden boards, with Christ in majesty holding a gospel book within a mandorla, surrounded by the 4 gospel symbols.
Binding Limoges, France, 13th c., upper cover of a Gospel book, originally on wooden boards, 34x24 cm, with Christ in majesty holding a gospel book within a mandorla, surrounded by the 4 gospel symbols, 3 of them inscribed in red capitals: Iohannes, Marcus and Lucas, between them 4 oval rock crystals, the cornerpieces with tri-partite leaves in champlevé enamel, each with an oval rock crystal, all in colours dark and light blue, green, red and white. The original wooden cover was in the 19th c. substituted with the present copper gilt plate with scrollwork in silver gilt added in the mandorla and outer panels.
Provenance 1. Monastic or princely commission, France (13th c.); 2. H.P. Kraus collection, Ridgefield, Connecticut, U.S.A.
Commentary Prof. Albert Böckler compares the style of the figures with the altar plaque and Madonna in the Cluny Museum (Gauthier pl. 17 and 34), and the cornerpieces with a very similar plaque also in Cluny Museum (Gauthier pl. 22).
Place of origin France
Dates 13c AD