{{Short description|Latin illuminated Gospel Book}} {{Distinguish|Lorsch codex}} [[File:Codexaureus 19.jpg|thumb|260px|Folio 72 verso of the ''Codex Aureus of Lorsch'' contains an illumination of [[Christ Pantocrator|Christ in Majesty]]]] [[File:Lorsch Gospels Cover.JPG|thumb|Virgin and Child with John the Baptist and Zachary's. Book cover of the Lorsch Gospels (back cover). Nativity and annunciation to the shepherds below. Ivory, 14 7/8 x 10 3.4in. (37.8 x 27.3 cm), c. 810. Victoria and Albert Museum, London.|355x355px]] The '''''Codex Aureus of Lorsch''''' or '''Lorsch Gospels''' (Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Pal. lat. 50, and [[Alba Iulia]], Biblioteca Documenta Batthyaneum, s.n.) is an [[illuminated manuscript|illuminated]] [[Gospel Book]] written in Latin between 778 and 820, roughly coinciding with the period of [[Charlemagne]]'s rule over the [[Frankish Empire]]. Both the manuscript and the [[carved ivory]] panels from the cover are rare and important survivals from the art of this period.
The current location of the various original parts is: *[[Batthyaneum Library]], [[Alba Iulia]], [[Romania]]: Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and [[canon tables]] and preliminary matter *[[Vatican Library]]: Gospels of Luke and John, and the ivory panels from the rear cover *[[Victoria and Albert Museum]], London: the ivory panels from the front cover (Inv.-Nr. 138–1866)
==History== It was first recorded in [[Lorsch Abbey]] ([[Germany]]), for which it was presumably written, and where it was mentioned as ''Evangelium scriptum cum auro pictum habens tabulas eburneas'' in the catalogue of the Abbey's library, compiled in 830 under Abbot Adelung. {{citation needed |date=December 2021}} Considering gold letters in the manuscript and its location at Lorsch, it was named the '''''Codex Aureus Laurensius'''''. In the tenth and eleventh centuries, the library of Lorsch was one of the best libraries of the world. {{citation needed |date=December 2021}} In the 16th century the [[manuscript]] was taken to [[Heidelberg]] (Otto Heinrich removed the contents of the library to Heidelberg, creating the famous ''[[Bibliotheca Palatina]]'', just prior to Lorsch's dissolution in 1563), from whence it was stolen in 1622 during the [[Thirty Years' War]]; in order to be easy to sell, the [[codex]] was broken in two and the covers torn off. {{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The richly illustrated first half reached the [[Migazzi]] Library and after that was sold to Bishop [[Ignác Batthyány]] (1741 – 1798). This section is now in Alba Iulia, [[Romania]], and belongs to the Batthyaneum Library founded by the bishop. The second half is in the [[Vatican Library]]. {{citation needed|date=December 2021}} The front cover, with famous [[ivory]] [[relief]]s in a classicising style of [[Christ treading on the beasts]] and [[archangel]]s, is in the [[Vatican Museums]], and the back cover, with the [[Madonna (art)|Virgin and Child]] with saints, angels and a [[Nativity of Christ]] below, is in the [[Victoria and Albert Museum]] in [[London]].<ref>[[:File:BLW Front Cover of the Lorsch Gospels.jpg|Illustration]]; [https://books.google.com/books?id=8ZJONlzdyPsC&pg=RA2-PA283 Herbert Schultz], p. 283, ''The Carolingians in Central Europe, their history, arts, and architecture: a cultural history of Central Europe, 750-900'', BRILL, 2004, {{ISBN|90-04-13149-3}}, {{ISBN|978-90-04-13149-1}}</ref>
The back cover of the Lorsch Gospels is divided into five panels, with a representation of the [[Virgin and Child]] seated on a throne in the center and [[John the Baptist]] and Zacharius on the sides. John the Baptist is on the left holding a scroll, while on the right Zacharius is holding incense. In the top panel there is a circular medallion framing a bust of Christ held up by two angels. In the bottom panel is a depiction of the Nativity, with Joseph, Mary, and the Christ Child in a manger. This is the scene of the birth of Christ in [[Bethlehem]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Stokstad |first=Marilyn |title=Medieval Art |publisher=Westview Press |year=2004 |edition=2nd |location=Colorado |pages=113–114}}</ref> Judging from the placement of the figures within the architectural arches, it looks as if they are taking up all of the space. The figure's shoulders are rounded as well as their stomachs and thighs, and the bottom halves of their bodies are covered by their linear drapery.<ref name=":0" />
A [[facsimile]] of the codex was presented as a gift to Queen [[Elizabeth II]] by [[Pope Benedict XVI]] on 16 September 2010, who in turn received a series of [[Hans Holbein the Younger|Hans Holbein]] prints from the royal collection.<ref name="Pope">[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/16/popes-visit-benedict-arrives-uk Pope's visit: Benedict arrives in UK], ''[[The Guardian]]'', 16 September 2010</ref> A full digital version of the manuscript is available online from a number of sources.<ref>[http://www.bibliotheca-laureshamensis-digital.de/bav/bav_pal_lat_50?&ui_lang=eng Pal. lat. 50 (Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130425091610/http://www.bibliotheca-laureshamensis-digital.de/bav/bav_pal_lat_50?&ui_lang=eng |date=2013-04-25 }} - digital facsimile (mostly in English)], with larger images than the [http://www.bibnat.ro/expozitie-virtuala/Codex-Aureus-c1-ro.htm version at the Romanian National Library] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723115601/http://www.bibnat.ro/expozitie-virtuala/Codex-Aureus-c1-ro.htm |date=2020-07-23 }}</ref> In May 2023, the manuscript was inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hungarianconservative.com/articles/culture_society/world_heritage_unesco_codex_aureus_transylvania_gyulafehervar_romania/|title=Codex Aureus Inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.|website=Hungarianconservative.com}}</ref>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *Walther, Ingo F. and Norbert Wolf. ''Codices Illustres: The world's most famous illuminated manuscripts, 400 to 1600''. Köln, TASCHEN, 2005.
== Gallery == <gallery> Image:Codexaureus_05.jpg Image:Codexaureus_25.jpg Image:Codexaureus_20.jpg Image:Codexaureus_22.jpg Image:Codexaureus lorsch-evangiles-fol72v.jpg File:Ivory back cover - Codex Aureus of Lorsch (c. 778-820) Vatican Library.jpg|Ivory back cover
</gallery>
==External links== {{Commons}} * [http://www.bibnat.ro/expozitie-virtuala/Codex-Aureus-c1-ro.htm Codex Aureus of Lorsch on-line] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200723115601/http://www.bibnat.ro/expozitie-virtuala/Codex-Aureus-c1-ro.htm |date=2020-07-23 }} by the library in Alba Iulia *[http://bibliotheca-laureshamensis-digital.de/view/lorscher_evangeliar?&ui_lang=eng Lorsch Gospels] - digital facsimile (Bibliotheca Laureshamensis - digital) *[http://www.denkmalpflege-hessen.de/LFDH4_UNESCO/Lorsch/Lorscher_Evangeliar/lorscher_evangeliar.html German description]. {{Archive url|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160501171108/http://www.denkmalpflege-hessen.de/LFDH4_UNESCO/Lorsch/Lorscher_Evangeliar/lorscher_evangeliar.html|date=2016-05-01}} *[http://www.denkmalpflege-hessen.de/LFDH4_UNESCO/Lorsch/Lorscher_Evangeliar/lorscher_evangeliar.html 1 (fol 13-14)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20100625090427/http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcourses/klein/medium/lorsch_schefers2000_pl17.jpg 2 (matthieu)] *[http://www.forschung-fischerprivat.de/fischerweb/chronologieminiaturen.htm 3 (fol 72v)] *[http://muvtor.btk.ppke.hu/korakoz/kep/lorsch.jpg 4 (ivoire - christ)]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20070312183914/http://www.moesbooks.net/pics/30257.jpg 5 (reliure ivoire Marie détail)] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20041230112502/http://www.sino.uni-heidelberg.de/students/tjuelch/Illustrationen/Evangeliar_gross.htm 6 (reliure ivoire Marie)]
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[[Category:Gospel Books|Aureus of Lorsch]] [[Category:9th-century biblical manuscripts]] [[Category:Manuscripts in the Vatican Library]] [[Category:Carolingian illuminated manuscripts]] [[Category:Ivory works of art]]