Liber De Laudibus Sanctae Crucis
Manuscript Information
Title of manuscript: Liber De Laudibus Sanctae CrucisMS call number (and folio selected): 652 (folio 9v)
Current location: Vienna, Austria National Library
Place of creation: Fulda, Germany
Date of creation: 844
Codicology and Paleography
Language(s) of text: LatinScript: rustic capitals
Abbreviations: none
Textual corrections
Contemporary: none
Later: none
Marginal commentary
Contemporary: none
Later: comments on text in a 14/15th century cursive hand (Latin)
Rubrication: Latin numbers, late medieval arabic numbers, roman numerals
Instructions for scribe: none
Instructions for rubricator and/or artist: none
Provenance
Marks of ownership: nonePrevious owners: Vienna Court Library (until 1576), also in Wurzburg at some point.
Mise en page
Columns: one, but text is split into four sections by yellow cross illustrationLines per column: 37 lines
*there are 18 letters by 18 letters per each square, which is the same as 4 x 4 x 9 x 9 (4 symbolizes the quadrants that the text is separated into, and 9 symbolizes the nine choirs of angels)
Decoration (in hierarchical order)
Gilding: on the front and back covers of the text, as well as the edges of the leavesSmall ink initials: none
Pen flourished initials: none
Painted initials: none
Gold initials: none
Foliate initials: none
Zoomorphic initials: none
Anthropomorphic initials: none
Historiated initials: none
Miniatures: four- two cherubs, and two seraphins, which symbolize the nine choirs of angels
Marginal Illustrations: none
Full page illustration: one- four winged-like evangelist symbols, with open-faced hands (symbols of Christ)
*the illustrations are done on top of the text in a form of poetry known as "carmina figurata", which is one of the first formations of illustrated poetry
Further readings
1. An introduction to the study of medieval Latin versification / by Dag Norberg ; translated by Grant C. Roti and Jacqueline de La Chapelle Skubly ; edited and with an introduction by Jan Ziolkowski. Introduction à l'étude de la versification latine médiévale. English. Norberg, Dag Ludvig , 1909-1996. Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, [2004]. This was an interesting and helpful excerpt on carmina figurata, which is the type of poetry that is used in the Liber De Laudibus Sanctae Crucis manuscript.2. Christianity, democracy, and the shadow of Constantine / George E. Demacopoulos and Aristotle Papanikolaou, editors. First edition. New York: Fordham University Press, 2017. This was an informative excerpt about the reign of Charlemagne, and the religious tensions and influences that are reflected in the manuscript.
3. Maurus, Hrabanus. Liber De Laudibus Sanctae Crucis Kommentar. George Braziller, 1967. This is the commentary to the
facsimilie, which proved to be the most helpful and accurate when finding information on the Liber De Laudibus Sanctae Crucis manuscript.
4. Constantine: religious faith and imperial policy, edited by A. Edward Siecienski. Abingdon, Oxon; New York, NY: Routleadge, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, 2017. This was helpful to me in understanding the power dynamics of the 9th century, and the relationship between politics and religion, and how this relates to the social, political, and financial power that was associated with writing and bookmaking.
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- Lit 150 Winter Quarter Kristy Golubiewski-Davis
