12.14.2011

Early Medieval + Islamic = Beatus' Commentary on the Apocalypse.


Follow this map.

In the center (top to bottom):

Early Medieval Migration period Sutton Hoo clasp (portable pagan art), early 7th c.

Great Mosque at Cordoba, Spain (horseshoe arch: reappropriated from Visigothic architecture in Spain to become emblematic of Islamic architecture, color blocked mosaic mihrab), 8th c.

Early Medieval Book of Durrow, St. Matthew the Evangelist (early example of pagan imagery in Christian books), 7th c.

Combine these three and then...

On either side (left to right):

Beato de Távara (see the scribes working away in a monastic scriptorium)
Heavenly Jerusalem, Morgan Beatus, both 10th c.


These are manuscript illustrations from the Book of Revelation by St. John the Evangelist, the fourth Gospel book, which discusses the Second Coming of Christ and the Last Judgment. The original pages were painted by Beatus in Spain around 725. During the 8th century, Christian Spain was occupied by Muslims and Cordoba became the Islamic capital of the West soon after. 

Despite the commentary of the manuscripts possibly serving as an allied rebellion against religious persecution (in this case Christian practices were limited by the Muslims), the style of the illuminations may have been inspired or influenced by Islamic art and architecture found in Spain, which refers back to the Early Medieval art of the Migration period and early Christian works on paper. 



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