ID 993169
Lot 45 | Yovannēs the priest (scribe); Mardiros the priest and Manuel the priest (illuminators)
Estimate value
£ 40 000 – 60 000
The Four Gospels, in classical Armenian (grabar), illuminated manuscript on paper, Archēsh, 1450.
A splendidly illuminated Armenian manuscript copied by the scribe Yovannēs the priest, son of Mankasar and P’asha, in the village of Archēsh (on the northeast shore of Lake Van) in the year 1450 under the protection of the church of St. George the General, and illuminated by two artists: Mardiros the priest (who painted the nine extant full-page illuminations and canon tables), and Manuel the priest (who painted the three extant Evangelist portraits). The patron (or sponsor) of the manuscript was Vardan varpet (master or teacher), the bookbinder.
194 x 141 mm. 295 leaves, collation: π12,1-612, 710, 8-1012, ([11]-[12])19, 1312, 1414, 15-2412 , the manuscript foliated twice: once in ink in an old-fashioned handwriting, and a second time in a later, modern foliation in pencil, the foliations not equivalent (new pencil foliation followed here), text in bolorgir (minuscule) script with some erkatagir (majuscule) as well as trchnagir or traditional decorative Armenian bird letters (that is, birds twisted in the form of majuscule letters). Two columns of 21 lines each, ruled space: 155 x 15mm. each column (a number of text folios and illuminations are lacking, some leaves misbound, edges trimmed, probably in an earlier rebinding, affecting the marginal decorations but not affecting the text). Rebound in a western European style, early 21st century (probably by James Brockman bindery, Oxford, England), quarter leather with bare oak boards. The manuscript had been previously rebound in 1888 (see Colophons and Inscriptions below). In H. Acharean’s 1910 publication, he described it having been rebound in 1888 by an 'unlearned' bookbinder, and that it was still damaged with misbound leaves when he examined it (Acharean, p.65).
Provenance:
(1) Original sponsor/owner 1450: Vardan varpet the bookbinder (ff.13v and 291v).
(2) Mart’a and later, her husband T’uma, who bought it with his honestly earned assets (no date or place mentioned in colophon, but probably 15th c., ff.293v-294r).
(3) Nukzar who bought it with his honest earnings (no date or place mentioned in colophon, f.294v).
(4) Possibly owned by Y[arut’iwn] Y[arut’iwn]ean by 29 June 1888, Tabriz, who paid to have the manuscript rebound (f.1). Note that the date and place have been erased in the current state of this manuscript, but the inscription was still extant before 1910 (Acharean, p.65).
(5) Possibly owned by Yovhannēs Riza[tsarts’](?) in 1890, Tabriz (f.7).
(5) By 1905-1906, located in the Church of St. Sarkis in Tabriz, Iran (where Acharean examined it and described it in his 1910 publication, pp.65-67).
(6) Owned by Karakhanean family in Tabriz by 1922 or 1925 (ff.1v, 2, 6v, 7, 13, 295).
Content: Four Gospels (some text missing but mostly complete). Gospel of Matthew: ff.14-91v; Gospel of Mark: ff.93- 139v (one folio missing between ff.92 and 93 which was the beginning of his Gospel); Gospel of Luke: ff.140v-223v; Gospel of John: ff. 225-288v.
Colophons and later inscriptions:
f.1 Memorial of Y[arut’iwn] Y[arut’iwn]ean dated June 28, 1888, Tabriz, who paid to have the manuscript rebound (date and place now erased in current state of the manuscript, but this information was recorded in Acharean’s publication, p.65).
f.1v Page-long inscription titled 'Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane' signed [R. Kara?]khanean and dated August 9, 1924, Tabriz.
f.2 Inscription: 'This memorial was written by Hamlet Karakhanean' [c.1933].
f.2v (below Annunciation): 'Remember in the Lord Mardiros the so-called priest and painter of this [book] and God will grant good [fortune/blessings] to you'.
f.6v Inscription dated Tuesday May 2, 1933 by Sat’enik Karakhanean[?], possibly to commemorate birth of Mikayel?.
f.7 Two inscriptions in two different hands: (a) Dated Tabriz 1890 by Yovhannēs Riza[tsats’]?; (b) Inscription in gutter dated May 1933 by [S?] Karakhanean with some words illegible; possibly to commemorate birth of Mikayel Karakhanean?
f.7v (below Cross in Glory with donor and parents): 'Vardan varpet the bookbinder, sponsor of this holy Gospel. His father Awetis. His mother Eghisabet’ [Note: this does not correspond with the colophon on f. 291v where his mother is named Talit’]. Lord God[...]'
f.10 Mostly illegible but dated Sunday, May 26, 1935.
f.13 Two inscriptions in two different hands: (a) 'This holy [book?] Hamlet Karakhanean. Y[ear] 1933'; (b) 'I wrote this memorial in this holy book on Thursday, Feb. 27, 19225 [sic] [1922 or 1925?] on which day was born Hamlet Karakhanean at 8 in the evening.'
f.13v (below portrait of Matthew with portrait of the kneeling Vardan in the lower left): 'Remember in Christ Vardan varpet the sponsor of this holy Gospel amen.'
f.14 (at bottom of Matthew’s incipit page): 'Remember in your prayers Manuel the priest, painter of this holy Gospel.'
f.92v (below portrait of Mark): 'Remember in the Lord Manuel the painter.'
f.140 (at bottom of Luke’s incipit page): 'I beg you, remember in your prayers Manuel the sinful priest, painter of this holy Gospel.'
f.224v (below portrait of John and Prochorus): 'Remember in the Lord Manuel the priest, painter of this holy Gospel.'
Main colophon: ff.289-292v
ff.293v-294, later colophon: Mart’a khatun (lady or madame) and family members; last owner danuder (head of household) T’uma and his wife Mart’a; colophon names dozens of family members (undated but probably 15th century).
f.294v, later colophon: owner Nukzar (undated) who bought it with his honest earnings.
f.295: inscription dated August 9, 1924; same illegible signature as f.1v which is probably [Ռ. Գարա]խանեան= [R. Kara?]khanean
Illuminations:
Full-page illuminations by Mardiros:
f.2v Annunciation
f.3v Presentation
f.4v Transfiguration
f.5 Raising of Lazarus
f.6 Washing of the Feet
f.7v Cross in Glory, with kneeling donor Vardan varpet and his parents
f.8 Sufferings of the Damned
f.8v Last Judgment and the weighing of souls
f.9 Last Judgment with Christ Enthroned and the four tetramorphs
f.10v-11 Eusebian letter
f.11v-12 Canon tables
f.12v Canon table
Full-page illuminations by Manuel:
ff.13v-14 Portrait of Matthew with sponsor of the manuscript, lower left, and Matthew’s incipit page
f.92v Portrait of Mark (incipit lacking)
f.140 Incipit of Luke (Luke’s portrait lacking)
ff.224v-225 Portrait of John with Prochorus and incipit page
The manuscript is also embellished with many charming marginal decorations, mostly using magenta and blue pigment, including birds, various animals, fish, human-headed birds as well as traditional Armenian symmetrical trefoils and knot-work designs.
Discussion:
This traditional Armenian Gospel book includes the four Gospels with a prefatory cycle of illuminations depicting scenes from the life of Christ, the letter of Eusebius to Carpianus, and canon tables. It was described in H. Acharean’s catalog of Armenian manuscripts in Tabriz, Iran (published in Vienna in 1910). Acharean described the book as damaged in his 1910 publication, stating that it had been badly rebound (presumably meaning the 1888 rebinding), and that the binder had disturbed the order of the leaves, obliging Acharean to re-number the folios. These are probably the ink foliations still visible in the manuscript. His description states a total of 303 ff. (the last folio is indeed numbered 303 in ink); there are now 295 numbered folios (in pencil). He stated that there were 18 full-page illuminations between (old foliation) ff.1v-19v (including the two- page Eusebian letter and canon tables). He did not describe the illuminations, but old folio 19v (in ink) is the last extant canon table, meaning that the rest of the canon tables (and probably some scenes from the prefatory cycle) were already lacking in the early 1900s. All four Evangelist portraits and incipit pages were still extant, according to Acharean, but the incipit page of Mark and the portrait of Luke are now lacking. The original 15th-century manuscript certainly included more full-page illuminations, as important scenes from the life of Christ, such as the Nativity and Crucifixion, are lacking. (It is inconceivable that an artist would include the Annunciation in his prefatory cycle without also incorporating a Nativity scene, for example.) These were probably already missing by the time the damaged manuscript underwent the 1888 rebinding. It has now been repaired, well-rebound, and refoliated in the early 21st century.
The artist Mardiros painted the scenes from the life of Christ placed in the beginning of the manuscript as well as the Eusebian letter and canon tables. His style is reminiscent of that of the well-known mid-15th-century artist Minas, also of the Lake Van area. (See, for example, MS M.749 at the Morgan Library and Museum). Indeed, Minas illustrated at least seven manuscripts in Archēsh between 1432 and 1456, and worked with the same scribe as this Gospel book, Yovannēs, son of Mankasar, at least five times between 1435 and 1456 (Leyloyan-Yekmalyan, pp.190-191). Mardiros and Minas may possibly have had the same teacher and might even have known each other, although Mardiros does not give us further information on his background.
Armenian Gospel books also include four Evangelist portraits, one at the beginning of each author’s Gospel, which would face the Evangelist’s decorated incipit page. There are also usually eight canon tables in addition to the Eusebian letter. In this manuscript the Eusebian letter and three canon tables remain, along with three Evangelist portraits. The portraits were painted by the second artist, Manuel, whose work is easily distinguishable from that of Mardiros, especially in his manner of rendering faces. We have no further background information on Manuel, however. Matthew’s portrait (f.13v) includes a kneeling figure in the lower left, described in a short inscription at the bottom of the page as the sponsor of the manuscript, Vardan varpet. Matthew’s symbol, an angel, peeks out from the upper right corner of the illumination. The portrait of Mark (f.92v) includes his symbol, a lion, in the upper right, with an inscription requesting that the artist Manuel be remembered in the Lord. The portrait of Luke is lacking, but his incipit page (f.140) is extant. His traditional symbol, an ox, forms the first letter of his Gospel on the incipit page. On f.224v is a portrait of John with seated Prochorus (his assistant who writes down John’s Gospel). His portrait faces his incipit page; his symbol, an eagle, normally forms the first letter of his Gospel on the incipit page, but in this case the letter is unusually fashioned by an orange beast grasping a bird with his front paws.
Christie's would like to thank Dr Sylvie Merian for her expertise in cataloguing this lot.
Literature
Acharean, Hrach’eay Y. Ts’uts’ak Hayerēn Dzeragratzs’ T’awrizi [Katalog der Armenischen Handschriften in Täbris] (Vienna, 1910), pp. 65-67.
Khach’ikyan, L. S. ZhE Dari Hayeren Dzeragreri Hishatakaranner: Masn Arajin (1401-1450 T’T’) [=Fifteenth Century Armenian Manuscript Colophons, first part, (1401-1450)] (Erevan, 1955), no. 725, pp. 647-648.
Leyloyan-Yekmalyan, Anna. L'art du Livre au Vaspourakan XIVe—XVe siècles: Étude des manuscrits de Yovannēs Xizanc’i (Paris, 2009), p. [161] for family tree of sponsor, Vardan varpet the bookbinder, and 190-191.
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