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Liturgical psalter 1953‑128‑7
Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
Manuscript Overview
References
Binding Images

Abstract

This manuscript is a liturgical psalter for the Armenian church. Psalms 1-147 are divided into eight canons, each of which is divided into seven sections. Canticles from the Old Testament follow each canon. Psalms 148-150 are followed by the canticle of the Three Hebrew Children, the three New Testament canticles, Psalm 151, the prayer of Manasseh, and the prayer composed by Saint Nersēs Shnorhali (the Graceful) for the twenty-four hours of the day. There is also a supplication in the name of God for the protection of man and a brief work on the Holy Cross. The manuscript includes nine leaves with full-page illuminations of Biblical figures or scenes on one side and full-page illuminations of flowers on the other, and eight illuminated headpieces at the beginning of the canons of the the Psalter.

Physical Description

Support: Parchment; Extent: v+248+iv; 120 x 90 mm bound to 120 x 100 mm; Foliation: Modern foliation in pencil, upper right recto; 1-90, i, 91-247; Collation: 1 (13, +2), 2 (12), 3 (13, +3), 4 (12), 5 (13, +7), 6-7 (12), 8 (13, +2), 9 (12), 10 (13, +2), 11 (12), 12 (13, +7), 13-15 (12), 16 (13, +10), 17-18 (12), 19 (14, +2 +10), 20 (4), 21 (8); Signatures: Quires 1-19 signed 1-19, lower center last verso and first recto; signed with Armenian numerals; no signature at the beginning of the first and thirteenth quires (fol. 149r)

Layout

One column of nineteen lines; box-ruled, with single inner vertical bounding line and double outer vertical bounding line in faint ink often still visible; written area: 90 x 55 mm

Script

Bolorgir

Decoration

Eighteen full-page illuminations of Biblical portraits and scenes (fols. 1v, 27v, 56v, 88r, 112v, 142r, 194r, 223r, 231r) and flowers (fols. 1r, 27r, 56r, 88v, 112r, 142v, 194v, 223v, 231v; eight small illuminated headpieces at the openings of the canons of the Psalter, with the opening line of the canon written in bird letters and the second and third lines in erkat'agir; large and small initials in color and burnished gold throughout, usually accompanied by marginal decorations (mostly geometric designs and birds); text framed with red and gold fillets

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Keywords
Psalter
16th century
Armenian
Headpiece
Illumination
Armenia
Liturgy
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs

Place of Origin

Armenia

Date

Early 16th century

Binding

Morocco, gilt-tooled and gilt-stamped; floral designs on folio edges

Language

Armenian

Provenance

Gift of Samuel S. White 3rd and Vera White, 1953

return to search Liturgical psalter 1953‑128‑7

Place of Origin

Armenia

Date

Early 16th century

Language

Armenian

Provenance

Gift of Samuel S. White 3rd and Vera White, 1953

Manuscript Overview

Abstract

This manuscript is a liturgical psalter for the Armenian church. Psalms 1-147 are divided into eight canons, each of which is divided into seven sections. Canticles from the Old Testament follow each canon. Psalms 148-150 are followed by the canticle of the Three Hebrew Children, the three New Testament canticles, Psalm 151, the prayer of Manasseh, and the prayer composed by Saint Nersēs Shnorhali (the Graceful) for the twenty-four hours of the day. There is also a supplication in the name of God for the protection of man and a brief work on the Holy Cross. The manuscript includes nine leaves with full-page illuminations of Biblical figures or scenes on one side and full-page illuminations of flowers on the other, and eight illuminated headpieces at the beginning of the canons of the the Psalter.

Script note

Bolorgir

Decoration Note

Eighteen full-page illuminations of Biblical portraits and scenes (fols. 1v, 27v, 56v, 88r, 112v, 142r, 194r, 223r, 231r) and flowers (fols. 1r, 27r, 56r, 88v, 112r, 142v, 194v, 223v, 231v; eight small illuminated headpieces at the openings of the canons of the Psalter, with the opening line of the canon written in bird letters and the second and third lines in erkat'agir; large and small initials in color and burnished gold throughout, usually accompanied by marginal decorations (mostly geometric designs and birds); text framed with red and gold fillets

For a full list of Decorations in this manuscript please see the Content and Decorations section by clicking on the [i] button in the top left corner of the image viewer above.

References
Binding Images

These are pages that we pulled aside that disrupted the flow of the manuscript reader. These may be bindings, inserts, bookmarks, and various other oddities.

Keywords
Psalter
16th century
Armenian
Headpiece
Armenia
Liturgy
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Department of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs
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