Gospel book fragment
Ms. Gospel book fragment; written and illuminated in Salzburg, Austria, in the second half of the 8th century.
Fifty-eight leaves of the original manuscript survive in three collections: Pierpont Morgan Library. MS M.564; Germanisches Nationalmuseum Nürnberg (MS no. 27932); and the Stadtbibliothek Nürnberg (Fragment 1, fol. 1-8).
Text: Luke (portions of chapters 5-10) and John (portions of chapters 2, 6, 7, 10, 12).
The original size of the leaves was at least 323 x 194 mm.
Decoration: 6 illuminated initials.
Held in a wooden box which is a 19th century pastiche, assembled for Guilliaume Libri; rectangular metal sheet on upper cover with a Blessing Christ in a mandorla and the Evangelist symbols at center, surrounded by a raised metal frame studded with cabochon rock crystals.