Menologion of Basil II

The Menologion of Basil II is one of the masterpieces of Byzantine book illumination. This is a 1000 for the Emperor Basil II ( 976-1025 ) created Synaxarion Constantinople ( the review B *), a collection of short lives of Saints for liturgical use in the Byzantine rite. With 430 miniatures on a gold background is the Byzantine manuscript most glorious equipped. The written on parchment in Greek and so-called pearl type manuscript is now in the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Signature: Vaticanus graecus 1613 ( Vat gr 1613 ).

Significant manuscript hagiography

The Menologion of Basil II is one of the most magnificent painted been preserved manuscripts from Byzantium. A page consists usually of a sixteen-line text on which a painter has created an image to one or a group of saints or feast day. The over 430 images are an important example of hagiography, the honor of the saints, in the book Art in Byzantium. Texts and images represent only one half of the calendar of saints Byzantine liturgical year represents ( September to February ), therefore, is to assume that there was a second volume of the work that got lost.

Liturgical work of the Byzantine Empire

The work was probably commissioned by the Emperor in order and intended for use by the clergy on the farm. It glorified thereby also the emperor and depicts him as a fighter for the protection of the Byzantine Christendom against the encroachment of the Bulgarian Empire, whose attack on the Christians is dramatically illustrated. Also, figures such as the Archangels are represented by the painters combative.

The artists who have contributed images to Menologion, painting perspective and thus move away from a hitherto often usual scale representation. Gestures of the figures and the folds of their garments are shown alive and architecture and background are well observed. Also the face is painted in a natural way. It turns out the painting style, sometimes referred to as a Macedonian Renaissance period in the painter back stronger recourse to classical models.

Are at the edge of the images in Menologion - highly unusual for a Byzantine manuscript - in the hands of a writer the names of the painters of the respective Illustration specified. It can be distinguished eight names. A painter called Pantoleon that in other documents of the time may be detectable, the leading master of the group seems to have been, probably worked as court painter together in a workshop. Further, Georgios, Michael the Younger, Michael of Blachernae, Simeon, Simeon of Blachernae, Menas and Nestor distinguished.

This is not merely at the name for signatures of the painter himself, as usual in the Middle Ages, the individual artist, but the message of the picture in mind. Therefore, signatures were common in any way. The importance of the attached with the other hand in Menologion of Basil II information to the painters of the images is not safe to clarify the assignment and one of the names in the imaging of illustrations today not common.

Menologion of Basil II. Meeting of Joshua with the " leader of the army of the Lord"

Menologion of Basil II: heathen and Christian martyr

Menologion Basil II ( Master Nestor ): Martyrdom of the Apostle Philip

Menologion of Basil II: Theophano Martiniake

Menologion of Basil II: transfer of the relics of St. John Chrysostom in the Church of the Apostles