SHOWN AT LAST

Evening Post, Volume CXVII, Issue 63, 15 March 1934, Page 22

SHOWN AT LAST

MORGAN MANUSCRIPTS

TREASURES FflOM EUROPE

'A GREAT COLLECTION

In the Public Library at New York there has been exhibited a/selection of what are in effect the finest of all the famous and lovely illuminated manuscripts in the Pierpont Morgan. collection, which ordinarily is not open to the public. ■ It is indeed a revelation to see what .famous and exquisite masterpieces, has, been acquired for the collection, says the American correspondentoorfr the "Manchester Guardian." Early English work is represented by two superb Gospels of the- late Saxon period 'illuminated by one of the finest painters' of tho Winchester school. The first -was executed at Thorney Abbey, which was a dependency of "Winchester.: Tho- second was made between 1000 and 1050. Both were bequeathed to the Benedictine monastery of-Weingarten in 1071 by the widow of Tostig, Earl 'of Northumbria, the brother-in-law of Edward the Confessor. Mr. Pierpont- Morgan acquired them from tho Holkham Hall Library. The ■ Aitley, Book'of'Jousting and Chivalry is also; exhibited. ;■ This was made for Sir James Astley in 1461, a famous knight who served Edward I-V and was present at his.death. The book passed into.the possession of .Edward VI, and was then returned to the Astley family in the.' sixteenths, or seventeenth century. , From -that, family it was acquired in 1931. ' ;;-'-. : ■ . " ' A REGAL BOOK. Most of; all : the English treasures is perhaps the "Golden Latin Gospels of Henry VIII," known also as the "Hamilton Palace Gospels." This magnificent book—^almost the size of a large folio and .as broad as a full quarto-—is compdsed of-leaves of rich purple-dyed; vellum, 0n.,-. which the Gospels have been inscribed in burnished gold letters. .It is as : fresh almost as when it was first, executed, and is indeed one'bf the most regal books that could well be imagined. It was executed in the "Palace School" on the Continent, and was given by Leo "X to Henry VIII on'the occasion of the conferring on the King of the title of "Defender of the Faith." The arms - of Henry are painted 6n":the first leaf. In Byzantine" manuscripts the exhibition is particularly rich. First, there is the group" of six,'large manuscripts, approximately of quarto size, which were the] principal volumes of a library . found ii 1910 buried-in a brick vault in the sand dunes in' the Fayum in . Egypt. The'vault: was beneath the ruins.of a inqnastefy which must have been destroyed VI during the general destruction of, monasteries in Egypt by tho Moslems, in/the tenth century. In all,'some fifty .p'arcfimeiLt manuscripts were found, all in Coptic, and the entire collection was acquired by the Pierpont Morgan Libary. ' These six.are the principal and best-preserved volumes in contemporary bindings.' Each has a frontispiece richly coloured with scenes from i the Bible. ' The colours used are mainly bright, mustard yellow, dark' crimson vermilion, and black. THE DESIGNS. All six are, dated in the colophons be- . tween A.D. 823 and 914. Most were 'made either in this or /neighbouring monasteries, and give us a clear idea of the provincial painting •of .those times. The bindings are made of interlaced strips of parchment, with the patterns woven in ■ different colours, rather in the manner of modern Moroccan interlaced leather work. But thedesigns show-strongly the influence of Byzantine decoration with an undercurrent of Coptic woodwork designs. Among the later . Byzantine manu- , scripts ii !a -fine, roll . manuscript on -which, is inscribed -the famous Letter of Ahgar of. Osroene. The story of this letter, is', thai. Abgar,: Governor of Edessa,'in Mesopotamia^ had heard of the healings, "of. Jesus," and wrote a letter .to Him asking to.be-- cured of leprosy. Jesus is said to have replied promising" to send . .His disciples Thaddeus and-Thomas. Abgar thereupon sent a, second messenger, to whom Jesus gave a linen cloth, with which He had dried His face. On this clo-th was the impress of His face. This holy imagi .is saict^to have effected, many healings oil .its journey" to Abgar in Mesopotamia, and finally it healed Abgar. himself. This apocryphal'story had a wide vogue, in .the, :world" of Eastern Christianity, and the - most recent version of. it .was found inscribed, in the form, "of the text of the letter of Abgar, on a itoman gateway at Philippij.in Macedonia. This manuscript tells the whole story, -and /is illustrated at intervals down the roll with simple Byzantine paintings in gold and colours.' The first shows Jesus receiving the message from Abgar and the second shows Him .handing the reply.V.: , " .. /.■-/.'_; ■ FKOM FKANCE. . . Another sidelight-upon the spread of Christianity is'seen in the large French manuscript of.the • middle of the thirteenth century, which consists of a description of events in Old Testament history. It was presented by Cardinal Maciejowski, Primate of Poland, in 1608, to Shah Abbas of Persia on. the occasion of, a mission sent to Persia to solicit help against the Turkish menace. It is strange that the Cardinal should have selected what in Ms day was an ancient manuscript for this purpose, but fitting that he should have presented a book containing'stories from the Old Testament,, which would be obviously more congenial to an Oriental potentate. Annotations in Persian in the margin of this French book were made at the Court of the Shah in order to explain difficulties to the Shah when, he read it. ' Of tho later books the Flemish "Hours of the Virgin," written in words of silver,, "burnished on black 'vellum, is the 'most striking. This is one of the only two known examples of manuscripts in black of this type. It is of the sixteenth century. The ' other "black" book is the famous Sforza "Hours," now in the National Library st Vienna. This selection of the great Morgan library* gives some idea of the treasures which have been sought for throughout Europe by the indefatigable agents of tho famous collector. .