Cutbercht Gospels facts for kids
The Cutbercht Gospels is a very old and beautiful book made around the 8th century. It's a special type of book called an illuminated manuscript, which means it has amazing pictures and decorations drawn by hand. This book contains the four main gospels from the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It also includes special tables called canon tables that help readers find similar passages in different gospels.
This important book was copied and decorated by an English artist named Cutbercht (or Cuthbert). He worked at Saint Peter's Abbey in a city called Salzburg, which is now in Austria.
Contents
What Makes the Cutbercht Gospels Special?
The Cutbercht Gospels is unique in several ways. It starts with a special introduction, or prologue, and the first 17 verses of the Gospel of Matthew. These parts came from a different source than the rest of the book.
Pictures and Decorations
Before the 18th verse of Matthew, you'll find the canon tables and a portrait of Matthew, one of the gospel writers. Each gospel in the book begins with a portrait of its writer. These portraits are like ancient paintings of the evangelists.
Art Styles and Influences
The style of the portraits and the canon tables in the book shows influences from different places. The way the evangelists are drawn can be traced back to art from the 6th century in a city called Ravenna, in Italy. However, some of the symbols with the evangelists came from other sources.
For example, the way Matthew is posed and the colors used in his portrait are similar to old paintings found in the church of Sant Miquel in Terrassa, Spain.
The decorations in the book are in a style called Insular art. This art style was popular in Ireland and Britain during the early Middle Ages. Some of the patterns even look like designs found on ancient Egyptian fabrics, called Coptic textiles. This suggests that Cutbercht might have used a pattern book, perhaps one designed for making textiles.
Who Was Cutbercht?
Cutbercht was the talented artist who created this gospel book. He used several types of Insular script, which are specific styles of handwriting from the British Isles.
Where and When He Worked
Cutbercht worked in Salzburg during the 780s or 790s. This was when Virgil or his successor, Arn, were leading the abbey.
Some experts believe the book might have been made after 796. This was when the capital city of the Avars (an ancient group of people) was captured during the Avar Wars. It's thought that some eastern art styles, like pear-shaped leaves from Persian designs, might have traveled west as treasures after these wars.
The Mystery of Cutbercht
It's possible that Cutbercht was also the scribe (writer) for another old manuscript of prophetic books from Kremsmünster Abbey. However, his name isn't in a special book that lists people who died at Salzburg. This suggests that he might not have stayed in Salzburg his whole life. He could have been an "itinerant artist," meaning he traveled from place to place for his work. His unique Insular art style was not continued by other artists in Salzburg after he left.
