Henry III (reigned 1039-1056), continued the Ottonian custom of commissioning luxury Gospel Books. The eleventh-century Ottonian books made for Henry III included the Gospel Lectionary (Ms. b. 21, now in Bremen), a Gospel Book (Cod. C.93, now in Uppsala), the celebrated Codex Aureus of Echternach (Hs. 156142, now in Nuremberg), and the Golden Gospels of Henry III (Cod. Vitr. 17, now in El Escorial). The last manuscript of Ottonian grandeur comes from a century later again and it is certainly consciously archaic in function. It is the Gospel Book illuminated about 1175-88 by the monk Herimann at Helmarshausen Abbey for Henry the Lion (c. 1129-1195), duke of Saxony and Bavaria and founder of Munich.
Summary of illuminated manuscripts (miniatures) |
Late Antique and Pre-Romanesque periods |
351-400 | 401-450 | 451-500 | 501-550 | 551-600 | 601-650 | 651-700 |
701-750 | 751-800 | 801-850 | 851-900 | 901-950 | 951-1000 |
Romanesque period |
1001-1050 | 1051-1100 | 1101-1150 |
Early and High Gothic periods |
1151-1200 | 1201-1250 | 1251-1300 |
Late Gothic and Renaissance periods |
1301-1350 | 1351-1400 | 1401-1450 | 1451-1500 | 1501-1550 |
Book covers |
Illuminations by known masters |
List of illuminators |