Vergilius Vaticanus

Vergilius Vaticanus is called a arisen around 400 AD illuminated manuscript, which is preserved as the Codex Vaticanus latinus 3225 in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana. With its 50 miniatures to 76 sheets it is now considered one of the masterpieces of the late antique book painting.

The Vergilius Vaticanus illustrations to show even stylistic features of the ancient painting tradition, as we know it today by murals of this period; other hand, indicate the so-called Vergilius Romanus illustrations available for a somewhat later work, which deals with the same issues, a departure from this classical canon. The comparison of the two works can show the evolution of a, represented by the Vergilius Vaticanus book illustration ancient to medieval illumination.