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Saint Gregory as Author

A work made of opaque watercolor on parchment.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of opaque watercolor on parchment.

Date:

1188/1200

Artist:

Scriptorium of Weingarten Abbey
South German (Swabia); founded 1056

About this artwork

This striking author portrait honors Saint Gregory, who reigned as Pope Gregory the Great from 590 to 604. He is shown in the act of writing his homilies, with the dove of the Holy Ghost perched on his shoulder to provide inspiration. This leaf, illuminated on both sides, is apparently all that remains of a manuscript of the life of Saint Gregory written in the monastic scriptorium of Weingarten Abbey not far from Lake Constance during the time of Abbot Meingoz (1188–1200). In this period, the learned tradition of text and illustration was still preserved through the work of the monastic scribes, but secular workshops catering to the demand for books for new universities, administrative bodies, and other clients would soon dominate.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

School of Weingarten Abbey

Title

Saint Gregory as Author

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

1188–1200

Medium

Opaque watercolor on parchment

Dimensions

34.9 × 24.5 cm (13 3/4 × 9 11/16 in.)

Credit Line

Clarence Buckingham Collection

Reference Number

1944.704

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

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https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/51595/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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