The St. Albans Psalter: An Anglo-Norman Song of FaithThe St. Albans Psalter (c. 1125-1135), is generally regarded as the earliest surviving masterpiece of Anglo-Norman painting. Its extensive picture cycle includes over 200 historiated initials accompanying the psalms and prayers. This book focuses on these initials, examining their relationship to the text, the sources upon which they draw, the design process, the messages encoded into them, and the ways they would have been read by a contemporary audience. Addressing these issues sheds new light on the development of Anglo-Norman art, the role of major Benedictine foundations in this process, and the ways these houses reached out not only to those within their communities, but also to the laity in a time of relative insecurity. |
Contents
The Thematic Program of the Initials | 53 |
Tradition and Innovation | 105 |
The Saint Albans Psalter and Its Contemporary | 307 |
Copyright | |
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Common terms and phrases
Albans designer Albans initials Albans Psalter angels Anglo-Saxon Anselm arc of heaven Augustine Barbarini grec bearded figure beardless figure blessing Byzantine illumination Canart and Walter Canterbury Carolingian Cassiodorus Christ appears Christina of Markyate Chuldov close commentary composition crowned cycle David Davies and Evans Dewald Dodwell and Wormald Dombibliothek drawing Duffy Dufrenne Eadmer emphasis enemies figure stands gesture glosses God's Godehard Goldschmidt 1895 Harley Havice Hildesheim Holy illus illustrated in Utrecht illustrates the caption initial fig initial for psalm involves king Lanfranc looks Lord mandorla manuscripts medieval mercy monastic monks Mütherich 1968 Neressian 1970 Old Testament Opera Omnia Pächt petitioner Physiologus pictorial plea points praising prayer Proslogion psalm initials psalmist reading reference scene Schmitt similar sinners Stuttgart illustrates Stuttgart Psalter thematic Themes not illustrated tion tonsured trans twelfth century Utrecht Psalter verse is illustrated Verses not illustrated visual word