ticketsMember | Make a donation

Title Page of the Gospel of John

Illuminator Sargis Armenian
1300–1310
Not on view
This richly decorated leaf emphasizes the Gospel of John as the summation of the four Gospels by including the symbols of the four evangelists—an angel for Saint Matthew, a lion for Saint Mark, an ox for Saint Luke, an eagle for Saint John—in the large first letter, or incipit, and in the elaborate headpiece over the text. Byzantine-style geometric patterns fill the rest of the incipit. Bird-shaped letters form the first words of the text. At the top is Christ, framed by peacocks, who raises his hand in blessing. Early Armenian theologians described birds as representing souls flying to heaven.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Title Page of the Gospel of John
  • Illuminator: Sargis (active early 14th century)
  • Date: 1300–1310
  • Geography: Made in Armenia, Siwnik
  • Medium: Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
  • Dimensions: Page:
    H. 12 1/2 in. (31.7 cm)
    W. 9 1/4 in. (23.5cm)
    Mat:
    H. 19 3/16 in. (48.7 cm)
    W. 14 5/16 in. (36.4 cm)
  • Classification: Codices
  • Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1938
  • Object Number: 38.171.2
  • Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, gold, and watercolor on paper
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
dated 531 AH/1137 CE
"Preparing Medicine from Honey", from a Dispersed Manuscript of an Arabic Translation of De Materia Medica of Dioscorides, 'Abdullah ibn al-Fadl, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
"Preparing Medicine from Honey", from a Dispersed Manuscript of an Arabic Translation of De Materia Medica of Dioscorides
'Abdullah ibn al-Fadl
dated 621 AH/1224 CE
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi
Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi
dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
ca. 1180
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper
Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
ca. 1180

Related Content

Perspectives

Articles, audio, and video from The Met's online magazine.

Timeline of Art History

Entries from The Met's art encyclopedia.

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.