Sacramentary of GelloneLibrary or archive where the manuscript kept Bibliothèque Nationale de FranceCatalogue Number (Shelfmark) MS Lat. 12048Language LatinScript Carolingian minuscule | Century VIIIOrigin France |
The origins of the manuscript are unclear, however probably it was written either at Meaux or Cambrai around 790 for Bishop Hildoard of Cambrai.1 The sacramentary ended up at Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, near Lodève, perhaps as one of the gifts Louis the Pious and Duke William of Toulouse presented to the monastery shortly after it was founded by William of Gelone in 804. The manuscript is now held by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
The text, of which 270 pages remain, presents most of the liturgy of the Merovingian church, a combination of Roman and Gallican rites – the so-called mixed Gelasian text. It just barely predates Charlemagne's reforms and the introduction of the Gregorian sacramentary.
The illuminations, miniatures and historiated initials represent a high point of late Merovingian book art and the script represents an excellent example of early Carolingian minuscule. Sacramentary of Gellone IllustrationsIllustration 1  | Page (Folio): 39v eagle with snake and calf | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 2  | Page (Folio): 39v iniitial letter I | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 3  | Page (Folio): 40r dingbat decoration | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 4  | Page (Folio): 41v initial letter A formed by fish and snake | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 5  | Page (Folio): 42r initial letter M with horse | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 6  | Page (Folio): 42r Mark the Evangelist | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 7  | Page (Folio): 126v initial letter P formed by bird (stork) | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 8  | Page (Folio): 127r initial letter D with fish | Vector Clipart  |
Illustration 9  | Page (Folio): 143v crucifixion: crucified Christ attended by two angels | Vector Clipart  |
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