Exhibition
Carolingian manuscripts were made from the end of the 8th to the 10th century, in centres throughout the realm of Charlemagne, which covered large parts of what is now France and Germany. These centres included flourishing monasteries such as Saint-Amand, Corbie, Fulda, and Freising where religious books and classical texts were copied. Some of the most luxurious books with elaborate illuminations and bindings were created near the realm’s rulers at the Palace School, a workshop associated with Holy Roman Emperor.
Psalter of Charles the Bald (823-877)
A psalter is a type of manuscript that contains the Book of Psalms and often included other texts such as prayers and a religious calendar. The psalter was the most important book for private devotion before the rise of the Book of Hours in the 13th century.
Charles the Bald (823-877), the grandson of Charlemagne, was king of France and Holy Roman Emperor in the 9th century. Between 842-869, in the scriptorium of the Palace School of the emperor, the Psalter of Charles the Bald was copied by Liuthard. It is said that he has also done the paintings (or illuminations) in the work. He was the head of the workshop from 869-870 and is responsible for many beautiful manuscripts similar to the Psalter. Because the manuscript was made for the Holy Emperor, we see a portrait of him on folio 3 verso.
The text is done in gold ink and decorated with imperial purple, used only for the most valuable of books. Except for a handful of leaves, the entire book is written in uncial script, the other pages have been done in Caroline minuscule, a type of handwriting that was created during the time of Charlemagne’s court. Some pages contain large golden, decorated initials, these are the so-called “Incipit” pages (Latin for “here begins”). They can indicate the start of a new section or text and usually have only one or a couple of words on them.
Charles’ Psalter retains its original book cover from the 9th century. Even though some gemstones are missing, it is has survived quite well. The cover is made of wooden boards covered in gold filigree inlaid with precious stones and pearls. Carved ivory panels with passages from the Old Testament are added at the centre of the front and back cover. There were once clasps to keep the book closed, but these are now gone.
The miniature on folio 3v depicts Charles the Bald on a throne with the symbols of royalty - a sceptre and globe - in his hands. St Jerome, the translator of the Psalms, is portrayed on folio 4.
Charles the Bald donated the Psalter to Metz Cathedral (France), where it was kept until the 17th century. In 1674, the manuscript was given to Jean-Baptiste Colbert, whose collection became part of the Royal Library in 1732, the precursor of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
St Gall Gospel Book
The St Gall Gospel Book was written and illuminated in the scriptorium of St Gall at the height of its artistic powers in both illumination and calligraphy.
The style of its illuminations aligns this work with the Sintram group of St Gall manuscripts, which were influenced by the Palace School of Charles the Bald, itself influenced by Late Antique Greek models.
The book contains eight-page canon tables (tables on folios1v-5r presenting the Gospels side by side, making their differences and similarities apparent), two Evangelist portraits, an incipit page for Matthew and illuminated initials at the beginning of each gospel. In the portraits of Evangelists Matthew and John, the partially pastose (thickly painted) style is exceptional for the St Gall school of illumination, with green and yellow hues dominating.
Capitulare de Villis
This volume, which dates from 825-850, is unique among manuscripts of the early Middle Ages. The manuscript, which was written by several hands, is the only surviving written exemplar both of Pope Leo III’s letters to Charlemagne and of the famous capitulary (collection of instructions) Capitulare de villis, thought to have been issued by Charlemagne. It also includes incomplete Brevium exempla, generic examples of texts concerning the rights of a feudal landholder and the services owed by his dependants.
Where the unusually rectangular codex was written we do not know; possible places of composition include the famous monastery of Fulda or somewhere in the Rhineland.
