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The chronicle of the East Anglian monastery of Bury, one of the wealthiest monasteries in England in the twelfth century mentions the Bury Bible illuminated by a Master Hugo, and notes that it was necessary for him to go to Ireland to obtain parchment of suitably high quality on which to paint its illustrations. The illustrations are on separate pieces of parchment attached to the manuscript. Master Hugo's work is characterized by rich colours: royal blue, velvety green and vermilion. The faces are coherently modeled with highlights and shading.
The illustration from the Bury Bible shown here represents the Vision of Ezekiel. At the centre is the figure of Christ in Majesty, seated on a rainbow and enclosed in a mandorla. Below Christ's feet is Ezekiel himself, who is holding a scroll and gazing upwards. The four roundels contain the symbols of the four evangelists.
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