"I Confess With Faith" Saint Nerses Shnorhali – the Gracious (1102 – 1173) "ՀԱՎԱՏՈՎ ԽՈՍՏՈՎԱՆԻՄ" Ս. ՆԵՐՍԵՍԻ ՇՆՈՐՀԱԼԻՈՅ

 

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Armenian illuminated manuscripts

A collection of the best known and most characteristic illuminated manuscripts of the Armenian Church

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Armenian illuminated manuscripts form one of the most beautiful traditions of the Medieval Armenian art. The earliest surviving examples date from the 5th century, following the invention of the Armenian alphabet by Masrop Mashtots Մեսրոպ Մաշտոց (362-440). Very few fragments dated from the 5th-7th centuries have been survived. The oldest preserved in its entirety dates from the 9th century. 13th-14th centuries form the golden age of the Armenian calligraphy. Among the greatest Armenian miniaturists is Toros Roslin Թորոս Ռոսլին (1210-1270), who lived and worked in the Armenian kingdom of CIlicia.

Armenian Illuminated manuscripts are remarkable for their festive designs based on the Armenian  religious life and culture. lluminated manuscripts mostly recount the Holy Bible, in particular the Holy Gospels, as well as many aspects of the religious life and teachings of the Armenian Church. Most of the manuscripts were written and illustrated by monks. Armenian monasteries have been for centuries the centres of religious art and literature. Most of those manuscripts are exquisitely elaborated, covered in gilt and brilliant colors. It was a common belief that the beauty of the illustration could refresh the human mind and spirit.

Of the 31,000 Armenian manuscripts currently listed around the world, about 10,000 of them are ornamented, with 5,000 – 7,000 of them containing miniatures. Most of these manuscripts are preserved in the Matenadaran Institute of Yerevan (more than ten thousand manuscripts and fragments of manuscripts).

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»   The Nativity of our Lord

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The Nativity of the Lord and the Adoration of the shepherds, the Vekhamor Gospel, 9th century, Makenyats vank, ms10680 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, Gospel of early 10th century, ms697 Mekhitarists Library Vienna

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The Nativity, by Evargis the priest, 1038, Gospel of Taron, ms6201 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, by Hovhannes Sandghkavanetsi, 1060, Mugni Gospels, ms7736 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of oir Lord, by Tiranu Grigor, 1232, Targmanchats Gospels, ms2743 Matenadaran collection

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Adoration of the Magi, by Toros Roslin, Gospel of Hromkla, 1260, ms251 Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the shepherds, by Toros Roslin, 1262, W.539 Walters collection

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The Nativity, by Toros Roslin, Malatia Gospels, 1268, Hromkla monastery, ms10675 Matenadaran collection

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The visit of the Magi, by Toros Roslin, Malatia Gospels, 1268, Hromkla monastery, ms10675 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the Magi, by Toros Roslin, 1268, ms32.18 Freer Gallery of Art, Washington

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The Nativity and St Joseph, by Momik, 1302, Noravank, ms6792 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity, by Toros Taronatsi, Gladzor monastery, 1318, ms206 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity, by Vardan monk, 1319, Artskeh, Vaspurakan, ms7456 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, by Sargis Pidzak, 1336, Sis, Cilicia, ms5786 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity, by Melchizedek of Vaspurakan, 1338, ms4813 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, by Sargis Pidzak, mid 14th century, Sis, Cilicia, Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the Magi, by Avag, 1358, Gladzor Monastery, Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity, by Martiros and Avag, Gladzor monastery, 1368, ms6230 Matenadaran collection

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Adoration of the Magi, the Nativity of our Lord, by Aristakes Tzeruni, Aghtamar Gospels, 1391, Aghtamar, lake Van, ms8772 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, by Grigor monk, Syunik Gospel, 14th century, ms6305 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, Karabakh Gospels, 14th century, ms316 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord, by Margar for the Monastery of St. George at Mokk’ at the order of Bishop Sion, 1434, ms 624 Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the Magi, by Minas of Artskeh, mid 15th century, Lim, Vaspurakan, ms982 Matenadaran collection

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The Nativity of our Lord,  by Hovhannes Vardapet, 1455, Khizan monastery, W.543 Walters collection 

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the Magi, 1461, Van, Vaspurakan, ms749 The Morgan Library N.Y.

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The Nativity of our Lord  by Aristakes, 1475, Lake Van, W.540 Walters collection 

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The Nativity, by Mesrop Khzanetsi, 1609, The Bodleian Library

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The Nativity, 1678, Constantinople, by priest Yakob Pēligratci, commissioned by Clav, son of Nawasard, as dedication to his sons, Astuacatur and Sahak, W.547 Walters collection

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The Nativity of our Lord and the Adoration of the Magi, artist Hovnatan Hovnatanian, 1760s, Echmiadzin Cathedral

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»   The flight into Egypt

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The flight into Egypt, by Toros Taronatsi, by Toros Taronatsi, 1323, Gladzor monastery, ms6289 Matenadaran collection

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The Return of the Magi, by Toros Roslin, 1262, W.539 Walters collection

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The Massacre of the innocents by King Herod, Sargis Pidzak, 1320, Gospel of Eight Painters, Sis, Cilicia, ms7651 Matenadaran collection

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