Illuminating The Word Object Labels Final 6

Donald Jackson with contributions from Chris Tomlin Genesis frontispiece: Creation Genesis 1:1–2:3 The Creation story unfolds within a framework of counting. As each day passes, the writer repeats his refrain: “And there was evening and there was morning, the first [or second or sixth] day.” The structure of this illumination reflects the progression of days, with seven vertical strips, one for each day, and small golden squares arranged in sequences of seven. On the first day, fragmented shapes explode from the primordial void, expressed by the Hebrew words tohu wabohu (“chaos”). A vertical gold line marks the crucial moment when God said, “Let there be light.” Gold is used throughout to symbolize God’s ordering of the universe. The gold squares expand outward and upward from day one until reaching the serene Sabbath, the seventh day. Day three contains satellite pictures of the Ganges Delta, suggesting the division of land and water and the beginnings of vegetation. The creation of human beings on the sixth day is represented by images from aboriginal rock paintings in Africa and Australia. The snake implies dangers to come in the Garden

of Eden. The golden seventh day is given over entirely to the contemplation of the spirit. The raven flying across the composition is the traditional carrier of God’s message to Saint Benedict.

Donald Jackson with contributions from Chris Tomlin Adam and Eve Genesis 2:4–25 Adam and Eve are presented as an African man and woman surrounded by patterned fabrics from various ancient cultures. Photographs of Ethiopian tribespeople influenced Jackson’s design. He wanted to link the notion of the first man and woman with current archaeological and anthropological theories that humankind originated in Africa. The decorative framing around Adam and Eve includes African tapestry patterns and, on the right, a Peruvian feather cape. The horizontal stripes are details of Middle Eastern textiles and of white body painting on black skin. The poisonous coral snake, also depicted in the Creation and Garden of Eden illuminations, appears between Adam and Eve. It represents the serpent that tempts Eve to disobey God. The gold bar framing Adam and Eve is meant to suggest God’s presence as a framework for human life.

Chris Tomlin, artist Tiger swallowtail butterflies Marginalia Genesis 3–6 Donald Jackson, artist Capital letters

Sue Hufton, scribe Genesis 24–26

Donald Jackson in collaboration with Chris Tomlin Jacob’s Ladder Genesis 28:10–17 This image evokes the surreal wonder of Jacob’s dream about angels ascending and descending a ladder that reached from earth to heaven. In that moment when heaven and earth were briefly joined, Jacob realized his special relationship with God. Accompanying the abstract gold angels are fragments of realistic butterfly wings. They echo the angels’ wings, becoming an earthly analogy for angels and also a metaphor for the fleeting nature of Jacob’s vision. The butterflies appear against a lacy pattern of gold, a gossamer presence. The quotation along the bottom, which can be linked with words from the preceding verse—“Surely God is in this place”—refers to Jacob’s powerful and moving experience.

Donald Jackson, artist, with contributions from Chris Tomlin Jacob’s Dream Marginalia Genesis 32:24–29

Sally Mae Joseph, artist Menorah pattern Marginalia Genesis 50 Donald Jackson, artist Title treatment Exodus

Thomas Ingmire The Ten Commandments Exodus 20:1–21 The theological brief from the Committee on Illumination and Text required the artist to combine five different passages from Exodus into a single illumination. The brief also suggested that the giving of the Ten Commandments represented a new creation—the gift of law bringing order to the chaos of human affairs. This was chosen as the principal image around which to group the others. Depicted along the top of the composition are the burning bush, the first Passover, the crossing of the Red Sea, and the twelve pillars, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, erected at the foot of Mount Sinai. God’s words are arrayed across them in gold letters. The lower half of the page contains the Ten Commandments, overlapping and dissolving the colored background. Instead of writing the words, the artist stenciled them, using the typeface Stone Sans to emphasize the authoritarian nature of God’s words.

Chris Tomlin, artist Damselflies Marginalia Exodus 7 Donald Jackson, artist Capital letters

Brian Simpson, scribe Exodus 30–32

Donald Jackson, artist Capital letters Exodus 23–25

Sue Hufton, scribe Leviticus 7–8 Donald Jackson, artist Capital letters

Donald Jackson, artist Title treatment Leviticus

Sally Mae Joseph, artist “You shall be holy” Special treatment Leviticus 19:2 “You shall not take vengeance” Special treatment Leviticus 19:18

Thomas Ingmire, artist “Make a poisonous serpent” Special treatment Numbers 21:8

Donald Jackson, artist Title treatment Numbers

Suzanne Moore, artist “The Lord bless you” Special treatment Numbers 6:24–26

Donald Jackson in collaboration with Aidan Hart and contributions from Sally Mae Joseph The Death of Moses Deuteronomy 34:1–12 God led Moses to the top of Mount Nebo, from where he could see the Promised Land. But Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land because of a momentary lack of trust in God. He died on the mountain. Although another leader fulfilled Moses’ mission and brought the Chosen People into the Promised Land, the role played by Moses was of tremendous importance to the generations that followed: “Never since has there arisen a prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.” Moses is shown with fragments of the tablets of the Ten Commandments and a prayer shawl patterned after a traditional Middle Eastern design.

Suzanne Moore, artist “Choose life” Special treatment Deuteronomy 30:19–20

Donald Jackson, artist Title treatment Deuteronomy

Hazel Dolby, artist “Hear O Israel” Special treatment Deuteronomy 6:4–5

Donald Jackson Frontispiece Psalms Only in the Psalms do all the illuminations consist of abstract, nonillustrative designs. In the Bible, the whole book of Psalms is divided into five books, and this frontispiece visually reflects that structure. The five books are represented by five overlapping book-shaped panels, each a different combination of the same colors. A gold roman numeral identifies each panel. These panels reappear at the beginning of each book in a progressive accumulation corresponding to the numbers of the books. Superimposed on this image are digital voice prints (electronic images of sound) of sung chants, hinting at the way we might “see” psalms if they are sung or read poetically. The voice prints come from recordings of the monks at Saint John’s Abbey singing Gregorian chant; a Native American sacred song; a Jewish men’s chorus singing psalms; Buddhist tantric harmonics; an Islamic call to prayer (adhan); Taoist temple music; Hindu bhajan; and Indian Sufi chant. The voice

prints of the Saint John’s monks appear on every page, moving horizontally throughout the Psalms in gold.

Sally Mae Joseph, artist and scribe “Praise the Lord” Special treatment, Psalm 150 Psalms 146–150

Donald Jackson, scribe Psalms 100–103

Donald Jackson, artist and scribe Book heading, Psalms, Book IV Psalms 90–93

Donald Jackson, artist Book heading Psalms, Book II Brian Simpson, scribe Psalm 41 Sally Mae Joseph, scribe Psalm 42

Donald Jackson, artist Book heading Psalms, Book III Sally Mae Joseph, scribe Psalm 72 Donald Jackson, scribe Psalm 73

Donald Jackson, artist Book heading Psalms, Book V Sally Mae Joseph, scribe Psalms 107–109

Brian Simpson, scribe Psalms 23–27

Donald Jackson Matthew frontispiece: The Genealogy of Christ Matthew 1:1–17 The Gospel of Matthew begins with the genealogy of Christ. Reaching back into the Old Testament scriptures to Abraham, progenitor of the Hebrew nation, Matthew lists the names of succeeding generations, culminating in the birth of Christ. This illumination is a family tree structured as both a tree of life and a menorah, the Jewish seven-branched candlestick. Placed at the beginning of the first gospel, the menorah serves as a bridge between the Old and New Testaments. A mandala-like cosmic image near the base is common to several religions and implies the universality of the search for God. The intricate gold medallions above the menorah were inspired by illuminations from the Koran. Reflecting our own time, patterns of DNA double helixes between the outer branches emphasize the connectedness of all humanity. The ancestral names flank the base of the menorah/tree and march up between the innermost branches. Abraham’s name appears in English and Hebrew, with that of his wife, Sarah, from whom these generations arose. Named in both Arabic and English is

Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden, with whom Abraham fathered Ishmael, the ancestor of the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam. At the very top is the name of Jesus, in the same lettering style as Abraham, David, Mary, and Joseph.

Thomas Ingmire Beatitudes Matthew 5:1–11 The letters of the word “blessed” are scattered randomly in a multicolored pattern, here and there reuniting to form the word. The overall effect recalls mosaic decoration, a traditional artistic medium dating to preclassical times in the Near East. It was widely used in early Christian churches for floors and narrative scenes.

Donald Jackson Peter’s Confession Matthew 16:13–23 This image illustrates a conversation in which Christ asks his disciples who they think he is, and Peter answers, “You are the Messiah.” Jesus responds, “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” This event took place at Caesarea Philippi, at the foot of Mount Hermon, and much of the visual imagery derives from a historical description of that spot. The conversation would have taken place in the midst of shrines to Greek and Syrian gods. A large cave in the area was believed to be an opening to the underworld. (“Hades” refers to the pagan underworld.) Christ is shown standing between a dark world of death identified in Hebrew letters as Sheol, the Hebrew underworld, and a world of color and light. The cave’s chaotic darkness spews forth images of Assyrian gods (the eagle-beaked, winged horse) and the AIDS virus. On Christ’s other side, rocks bathed in heavenly light represent the beginnings of structure and the formation

of the Church. A suggestion of a human face (Peter’s) appears in the rocks.

Aidan Hart with contributions from Donald Jackson and Sally Mae Joseph The Parable of the Sower and the Seed Mark 4:3–9 In this icon-like image, the sower’s halo, with its cross, identifies him as Christ sowing the word of God. His contemporary Western work clothes indicate that this image is a metaphor, in which the sacred message is revealed through a mundane action. The four small hills along the bottom are the four kinds of soil on which the seed falls. The hard path, where the seed cannot take root and is eaten by birds, signifies the closed mind that refuses to hear God’s word. The rocky ground, where the sprout is short-lived, stands for shallow people who accept the word of God but do not let it take root in their inner being and fall away when they are persecuted. The thorny ground corresponds to people who understand God’s word but let material things choke their spiritual belief. The good soil, where the wheat has taken root and thrives, represents those who act upon the word of God and share it with others.

One of the birds has “escaped” from the illumination to pick up a missing line. Its beak points to where the line belongs.

Donald Jackson The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes Mark 6:30–44, 8:1–10 Mark narrates twice the story of Christ providing food for multitudes of people, probably giving two versions of the same event. This illumination accompanies the first one, in which Christ miraculously multiplied five loaves and two fishes to feed five thousand people, with twelve baskets of leftovers. Tradition locates this event at Tabgha, on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. The illumination focuses on the abundant proliferation of food for the body, which foreshadows the Eucharistic gifts of food for the soul. The circular loaves, marked with a cross, prefigure the bread of the Eucharist (Communion). The stamped images of fish derive from a mosaic in Tabgha. The baskets (shown partially) have geometric designs based on ancient Native American Anasazi basketry, acknowledging the American origin of this Bible and the coexistence of other beliefs. The baskets symbolize the multiplying effect of any act of love, such as sharing. Hence, the design spreads out toward all the margins,

interrupted only by unkind acts (dark bars) and instances in which we could have acted with love and kindness but did not (white spaces).

Hazel Dolby, artist “Hear O Israel” Special treatment Mark 12:29–31

Donald Jackson Dinner at the Pharisee’s House Luke 7:36–50 The Pharisees (“separate ones”) were a priestly class known for defending the Jewish religion against pagans and rigidly upholding Jewish traditions. From the beginning of Christ’s ministry, the Pharisees bitterly opposed him. Nevertheless, Jesus was invited to dinner at the house of Simon, a Pharisee, along with Simon’s establishment friends. Upsetting their sense of decorum, a sinful woman arrived uninvited and began anointing Christ’s feet and kissing them, bathing them with her tears and drying them with her hair. This woman exemplifies one who loves greatly, while Simon loves little. The strong color dividing the illumination represents the chasm between the world of the sinful woman and that of the Pharisees. She is pictured with dyed pink and green hair to emphasize her unconventionality rather than her sinfulness. Her behavior has upset the table of tradition, shifting the emphasis to pure love. “You gave me no kiss”—Christ’s reproach to Simon

for neglecting the customs of hospitality— highlights her love.

Chris Tomlin Monarch Butterflies In Christian art the butterfly symbolizes resurrection. The three stages of its life— caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly— correspond to life, death, and resurrection. These monarch butterflies represent God’s creation and help root this Bible in the community of Saint John’s Abbey and University in Minnesota. The margins of medieval Bibles were often decorated with plants and animals that had symbolic meanings. In The Saint John’s Bible, all the species of flora and fauna depicted in the margins are native to the Minnesota woods surrounding Saint John’s University or to the Welsh countryside near Donald Jackson’s home. Chris Tomlin, a specialist in botanical and nature illustration, came to Minnesota to research subjects for marginalia. The blank vellum page stands in for the first page of the Book of Luke.

Donald Jackson Luke frontispiece: The Birth of Christ Luke 2:1–20 Gold is used throughout The Saint John’s Bible to indicate the divine. Here a brilliant shaft of light, executed in gold leaf, rises from the child’s crib, making the Christ Child the focal point of this scene, although he is not pictured. His mother, Mary, gazes tenderly on the infant. The shepherds are women and girls, which was probably the case at the time of Christ. Between the viewer and the unseen infant, the animals form a protective barrier. The ox is modeled on one of the Neolithic cave paintings of great aurochs at Lascaux, France. In the well-known imagery of the Nativity, we see the coexistence of earthly animal energy and spiritual energy, represented by the angels and the powerful light of God. The upper text is the angels’ song; the central text refers to this child’s role as “light to those who sit in darkness”; and the lower text anchors the entire illumination in a metaphor of divine light. Sally Mae Joseph, artist

Magnificat Special treatment Luke 1:46–49

Donald Jackson with contributions from Sally Mae Joseph and Aidan Hart The Luke Anthology Five parables and one story unique to the Gospel of Luke are illustrated in diagonal bands that read in descending order from left to right. The three “parables of the lost” are about God seeking and finding lost sinners. The image of Christ at the top right figures in all the scenes.

Parable of the Lost Coin (15:8–10): Scattered coins represent the boundless joy of a woman who has turned her house upside down to find her lost coin. Parable of the Lost Sheep (15:4–7): A bedraggled sheep, alone in the dark, looks toward the golden light streaming from Christ and his angels, which promises rescue and return to the fold. Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:29– 37): Quotations from the text spell out the triumph of love over sectarianism and over adherence to doctrine at the expense of compassion. Parable of the Lost Son (15:11–32): The erring son leaves the pigs he has tended and returns to his father, who runs to meet him and forgive him. The twin towers of the World Trade Center point to the need for forgiveness in our time and for seeking alternatives to revenge. Parable of Dives and Lazarus (16:19–31): Dives (“wealthy one”) feasted while Lazarus begged at his door. The scene shows them after death, separated by a chasm: Lazarus, carried by angels, rests with Abraham, while Dives suffers the fiery torments of hell. Martha and Mary (10:38–42): The sisters look toward Jesus, who approved Mary’s

listening to his teaching and rebuked Martha’s unneeded acts of hospitality.

Donald Jackson The Crucifixion Luke 23:44–49 Rendered in raised and burnished gold, the crucified figure of Christ dominates this composition. The use of gold conveys the idea of God manifesting himself in his divine love for humanity, represented by the crowd below. Luke’s gospel recounts that darkness covered the earth for three hours, indicated here by the night sky, and that the curtain of the temple, shown as shreds of purple, was torn in two. The contrast of pain with the glory of gold relates this image to current theological discussions concerning the meaning of the Crucifixion in the contemporary world. The delicate gray border was printed with English lace, contributing to the recurring theme of textiles in The Saint John’s Bible illuminations.

Donald Jackson, artist Capital letter Luke 12

Thomas Ingmire The “I Am” Sayings John The “I am” statements in John’s gospel are direct references to Exodus 3:14: “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’” And further, “Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” In Hebrew, “I am who I am” is the unutterable name of God. YHWH (pronounced Yahweh), the proper name for God in the Old Testament, appears at the base of the page. Traditionally the name was not spoken or written out in full, out of reverence for its holiness. Hence the powerful, abstract rendering here, from which spring five columns incorporating five sayings, from left to right: I am the bread of life (John 6:35) I am the gate for the sheep (John 10:7) I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14:6) I am the light of the world (John 8:12) I am the true vine (John 15:1)

Donald Jackson John frontispiece: The Word Made Flesh John 1:1–14 Stepping out of darkness, which alludes to the chaos and nothingness in the Creation story, the golden figure of Christ, the Living Word, brings light and order. Words in golden script, from Colossians (1:15–20), link the figure of Christ with the words “And lived among us” at the upper right: He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation: for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers— all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. A keyhole jutting into the left margin recalls the tradition of locked and hinged manuscripts in securing, protecting, and holding the “key” to the Word of God.

Aidan Hart with contributions from Donald Jackson and Sally Mae Joseph The Woman Taken in Adultery John 7:53–8:11 Attempting to trick Jesus and find charges to bring against him, temple officials brought a woman caught in adultery to him for judgment. They reminded him that according to the law of Moses an adulteress should be stoned to death. After writing some words on the ground, Jesus stood up and said, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” Then one by one they went away. This illumination is done in the stylized manner of icons—images of holy persons traditional to Orthodox Christianity. The first panel shows Jesus absorbed in writing on the ground, distancing himself from the accusers’ agitation. The man with the Hebrew word for adultery in his outstretched arm is literally using the letter of the law as a weapon. By holding it outside the border, he hints that we are all complicit in the condemnation. In the second scene, Jesus is alone with the woman after the others have drifted away. The pile of stones at her feet signifies that she was not condemned. In this face-to-face encounter, Jesus forgives her, raising his hand in blessing, and instructs her to sin no more.

Here, we can identify with the woman instead of with her accusers.

Donald Jackson The Raising of Lazarus John 11:1–57 The raising of Lazarus from the dead was one of the greatest miracles of Christ’s ministry. It foreshadowed his own resurrection and was also the act that caused him to journey to Jerusalem and his own death. This scene contrasts the powers of darkness and the powers of light. Black and gold dominate: black signifying death; gold, God’s presence. The tunnel of white light recalls descriptions of near death experiences. The light comes toward Lazarus, and the tiny figure of Christ standing at the tunnel’s entrance invites him to return to the world. His backwardleaning pose suggests the reluctance to return felt by many who have had a near death experience. Superimposed on the image, “I am the resurrection and the life” clearly establishes Jesus’ power and authority over life and asserts his divinity.

Aidan Hart in collaboration with Donald Jackson Life in Community Acts 4:32–35 This image portrays the fellowship and unity of Christians. Forming a semicircle with the Virgin Mary at the center, symbolizing the Church, people of many nationalities are gathered around a common table, with the Holy Scriptures and the Eucharist, elements of Christianity that unite them. In the background, a small chapel on the grounds of Saint John’s Abbey (left) and the Abbey Church (right) indicate the physical nature of the church community: people must be physically present together in order to become a true “church” or assembly. Encircling this scene, the words from Acts describe an ideal Christian community, when in fact the early church was disorganized and argumentative. The figures of the Virgin Mary, Christ, and the angels resemble traditional representations used in Greek and Russian Orthodox icons.

Donald Jackson with contributions from Andrew Jamieson and Sally Mae Joseph To the Ends of the Earth Acts 28 The image of the earth in a dynamic cosmos illustrates the words in which Christ foretold the eventual spread of his teachings: “to the ends of the earth.” This view from space, with the African continent clearly defined, is based on a picture from outer space. The comet will remind viewers of the Hale-Bopp comet, which was visible in the summer of 1997. Showing the earth in ever-expanding space, together with linear geometric patterns, suggests both continuing evolution and ordered stability. The many crosses indicate the continual expansion of Christianity in the world. Most of The Saint John’s Bible illuminations have a full palette of colors, but this one is simplified. The principal colors are a rich ultramarine blue and a brownish tan, used in differing values to create depth and variety.

Donald Jackson in collaboration with Aidan Hart and with contributions from Andrew Jamieson The Life of Paul Acts Although Paul was not among the original twelve followers of Jesus, God designated him the apostle to the Gentiles, and he traveled as a missionary throughout the Near East. He is posed here in the manner of classical Greek statues. A prayer shawl draped over his shoulders indicates his upbringing as a devout Jew. Surrounding him are secular and sacred buildings from nearly every historical period of the last two thousand years, symbolizing the continuation in North America of Christian missionary efforts. The Stella Maris Chapel at Saint John’s Abbey (upper right) signifies the Benedictines’ missionary work in Minnesota. Because he made several sea voyages and was once shipwrecked, Paul stands before a Greco-Roman sailing vessel. An energetic church builder, he holds a model of a church. It recalls Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the city where he was martyred under the emperor Nero. The words at the top, “I saw a light from heaven” (26:13), refer to Paul’s conversion. Those across the bottom proclaim his divine mission: “The Lord has commanded

us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth’” (13:47).

Donald Jackson Acts frontispiece: Pentecost Acts 2:1–39 Jews “from every nation under heaven” are gathering in Jerusalem for the great Jewish pilgrimage feast of Pentecost, which occurs fifty days after Passover. A gold column of fire and smoke rises in the center, with the moon on the left and the sun on the right. Streaks of flame from the heavens dart about, pelting the earth—an allusion to the “tongues, as of fire” that appeared to the apostles, as described in Acts 2:3. Much of the imagery comes from the Old Testament prophecy of Joel, which the apostle Peter quotes in this passage of Acts. He describes the Day of Judgment, which will bring blood, fire, smoky mists, and heavenly portents. Yet there is hope for those who repent and are baptized. At the lower right, the keys of Peter symbolize the union of the Church in heaven with the Church on earth. Middle Eastern buildings in the background represent the past. This illumination contains many local associations. Emerging from the wall of Jerusalem is Saint John’s Abbey Church. The cross in its bell banner appears at the

top of the golden column. The crowd in modern dress in the foreground was based on a picture of spectators at a Saint John’s football game.

Chris Tomlin, artist Peacock butterfly Marginalia Acts 20 This is the only Welsh insect in The Saint John’s Bible.

Double carpet page from the Koran (Qur’an), circa 1780 Colored inks and gold on paper Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University These verses are from the sura called Maryam (Mary). Various biblical figures appear in the Koran, including Moses, David, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary.

Alphonse Legros British (born France), 1837–1911 Image of Life in a Monastery, 19th century Etching Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University In monasteries, where religious services take place several times a day, books have always been a constant necessity, to supply both texts and music. The chanting of hymns dates back to the beginning of Christian services. Large books of music, called antiphonals, were set on high lecterns to be read at a distance by several choristers. Here, a procession is taking place in a medieval monastic church, while in an alcove an elderly cellist and a small choir are about to provide the music.

Anonymous, Spain Processional (Dominican rite), 1541 Colored inks and pigments on vellum Black leather binding over boards Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University The Book of Psalms evokes a long tradition of musical manuscripts. The square notes of this medieval processional find a contemporary echo in the gold squares and meandering lines that dance across each page of the Psalms in The Saint John’s Bible. A processional contains hymns (text and music) for an ecclesiastical procession.

Psalterium Benedictinium cum Canticus et Hymnis Psalter (Latin Vulgate Version) Published by Johann Fust and Peter Schöffer in Mainz, Germany, 1459 Printed on vellum Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University The Mainz Psalter was the first book commissioned by a Benedictine monastery and only the third book published with movable type. It was produced by the partnership of Johann Fust (died 1466), a farsighted financier, and Peter Schöffer (1425?–1502?), an ingenious printer who had worked with Gutenberg on the first printed Bible. This page comes from the subsequent 1459 edition of the Mainz Psalter. Although printing was still a new technology, the Benedictines in Mainz quickly saw its potential for liturgical books. They had their psalters printed on vellum, much more durable than paper for daily use. The text of a psalter is the Book of Psalms in the Old Testament. Most of the psalms were probably composed to accompany acts of

worship in the Hebrew temple. Members of the Benedictine orders recite psalms daily as part of the Divine Office, certain prayers recited at fixed hours of the day or night.

Bible (Latin Vulgate Version) Published by Johann Froben in Basel, Switzerland, 1491 Stamped binding with clasps and metalwork, dated 1536 Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University This is one of the first Bibles printed in the small, easily portable octavo format. It was probably intended for private devotions. The text is Saint Jerome’s 4th-century Latin version, known as the Vulgate. Every chapter begins with a prologue by Saint Jerome, whose interpretations of the sacred scriptures retained their authority through the centuries.

Novum Testamentum omne multo quàm antehac diligentius ab Erasmus Roterodamo recognitu[m], . . . New Testament in Greek, edited by Desiderius Erasmus Published by Johann Froben in Basel, Switzerland, 2nd edition, 1519 Woodcut decorative borders by Urs Graf Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University This is the opening page of the Epistle to the Romans in the revised second edition of the first printed Greek New Testament. The text is given in Greek and Latin in parallel columns. The Greek text was edited by Desiderius Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466?–1536), one of the most notable humanistic scholars of his generation, who also provided the Latin translation. “Catchwords” at the bottom right of each column give the initial word of the corresponding column on the next page. Urs Graf (1485–1527/28) produced the border design using his innovative “white-line” woodcut process. Since the design is conveyed by white lines against a black background, it appears as a negative image. Although incongruous in this biblical context, winged babies (called putti or amorini) engaged in playful antics are common in 16th-century ornamental prints. They make

effective foils to the perfectly proportioned block initials. The other decorative elements, known as grotesques, are fantastic combinations of vegetal, animal, and human forms. Grotesques were a new and very popular style in 16th-century prints and were derived from 1st-century wall paintings discovered in an imperial palace, the Domus Aurea, excavated in Rome in 1480.

Books of Hours A Book of Hours is a small prayer book meant for personal use and easily portable. It contains prayers, psalms, a calendar of saints days, and readings for designated hours of every day. Scribes and illuminators produced Books of Hours in Paris and several cities in northern France and Flanders in the 14th to 16th centuries. These were the first books ever to become immensely popular. In the Middle Ages, they were the most accessible books by far because they were the most affordable. While some were made to order and therefore costly, booksellers offered moderately priced, ready-made books and also secondhand copies. A Book of Hours might be the only book a household possessed and was often the means by which people learned to read. To meet the demand, scribes and illuminators produced Books of Hours in great numbers, and even the most modest were beautifully and fancifully decorated. The illuminators drew upon a standard repertoire of biblical subjects and events in the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. In the borders, they often depicted realistic

plants, animals, and insects, each conveying a religious meaning.

Anonymous, Northern France Book of Hours (Nativity), mid-15th century Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Saint John’s University

Anonymous, France Book of Hours (Crucifixion), mid-15th century Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Saint John’s University

Anonymous, France (Rouen) Book of Hours (Saint John the Evangelist), late 15th century Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s University

Full-size computer printout used by Donald Jackson as his exemplar to copy in script.

This selection of tools and materials used by the scribes and illuminators includes hand-carved stamps, antique inks and powdered pigments, a mortar and pestle, quills and brushes, penknives, packets of gold leaf squares, a gilder’s cushion and gilder’s knife, burnishers, practice samples of vellum, and an antique drafting set.

From Sketch to Illumination The Committee on Illumination and Text (CIT) at Saint John’s University selects the passages to be illuminated in each volume of The Saint John’s Bible. The CIT sends Donald Jackson a set of briefs discussing the proposed illuminations and the theological content the committee feels each illumination should express. As the initial sketches are developed, Jackson and project coordinator Rebecca Cherry send digital images and explanations to the CIT by e-mail. The committee members review the sketches for theological content and send back their observations. When the CIT formally approves a sketch, Jackson proceeds with the illumination. The completed illuminations are displayed in this gallery.

Preliminary Sketches These preliminary and final sketches for several of the illuminations in The Saint John’s Bible reveal something of Donald Jackson’s working method. He begins with a large brush, feeling his way into the composition by loosely blocking in areas of light and dark. He uses inexpensive gold paint to represent gold leaf. A sketch quickly becomes a collage as Jackson cuts and pastes and tapes, adjusting the elements of the design. Illuminations are approved by the Committee on Illumination and Text while still in a rough stage, allowing the artist some freedom and freshness in executing the final work.

Quill Curing The scribes require quills that are both strong and supple. The best ones come from mature turkeys, swans, and geese. Before they can be used for writing, the quills must be cured, cut, and trimmed. Curing is a hardening process. The studio assistant begins by removing the ends with a quill knife and leaving the quills to soak for twenty-four hours. The next day she takes out the internal membrane and pours warm sand (which she has heated in a frying pan) over each quill while rotating it. When the barrel (shaft) of the quill turns from milky to clear, the sand is removed, and the hardened quills are stored in a jar. Next, the long barbs on one side of the quill are stripped away. A series of three scooping cuts with a quill knife, a slit, and a final trim to the point quickly turn the quill into a responsive writing tool. Now the quill is ready for writing.

Vellum Preparation The skins come from a vellum factory, where they have been prepared to a certain extent. But the studio assistant must do the final preparation to ensure a perfect writing surface, a job referred to at the scriptorium as “scrutching.” The skins are rubbed down with abrasives to achieve the right texture. First, the skin is placed on a smooth table and rubbed with relatively coarse sandpaper to raise the nap and to work in and flatten the veins, evening the surface. An infinitesimally fine layer of the skin is rasped off. The next step is the addition of gum sandarac, a resin that has been ground with a mortar and pestle and put in a fine-weave linen bag. Dusting the skin with the bag sifts the gum sandarac evenly across the surface. Then, using a finer grade of sandpaper and a circular motion, the assistant rubs down the skin again, stopping often to check the result. As the work proceeds, she rubs ever more gently, until the finish becomes soft and velvety.

Graphics Layout On a computer, Vin Godier, the project’s graphic designer/typesetter, devises the precise layout of every page. This allows the scribes to work simultaneously, since they know in advance exactly how each page will begin and end. Using a typeface that closely approximates the script Jackson designed for the Bible, Godier determines the space for each letter. He begins with raw digital text of the New Revised Standard Version. All editions of the NRSV, including this manuscript edition, must follow prescribed guidelines. Paragraphing and spacing between paragraphs are integral parts of the translation. A special dictionary establishes acceptable word breaks. Godier’s printouts are used by the scribes, illuminators, and proofreaders.

Ruling Up When a page of vellum has been prepared, pencil lines are ruled on it for the scribes to follow. A dummy page shows where space should be left for illuminations and how many lines are needed. A line guide placed on the side of the drawing table, with marks for each text and note line, ensures uniform ruling on all the pages. To mark the column widths, a ruling guide is centered on the page, and holes the correct distance apart are pricked at the bottom and the top. Vertical pencil lines are then drawn along a metal ruler laid between the holes. A sample folio with pencil lines and a partially written column of calligraphy is on view.

Tracking the Project’s Progress At the scriptorium in Wales, many colleagues work simultaneously at various tasks. The Studio Journal is a daily record of the stages of production and of the hours each person spends on a specific task. The Pages Out of Studio Journal is a record of pages consigned to scribes working outside the scriptorium and of the dates when completed pages are returned. Also noted are the time spent on each page and the payment to the scribe. Progress is plotted visually on a linear mock-up posted on the wall. When an illumination is completed, a digital image of it is added. When a page has been written out by a scribe, a red line is drawn through it. The status of the entire project is plotted on a production schedule in the form of a chart. It includes completion dates for various aspects of the work and the planned delivery dates for each volume.

Gilding In every illumination, gold is the first design element placed on the page. Three types of gilding are used in The Saint John’s Bible: powder gold, acrylic medium, and gesso. Gesso gilding is the most technically demanding and produces the most spectacular result. Gesso usually consists of plaster, white lead, sugar, fish glue, and a bit of powdered color. It is prepared in advance and kept as small dried cakes until needed. The gilder wets the gesso with water and glair, a liquid drained from beaten egg whites. The rather thick gesso is laid on with a quill or a brush. When dry, it is scraped and smoothed with a sharp knife. Then it is covered with gold leaf— incredibly thin sheets of 24-karat gold. On a suede gilder’s cushion, the gold leaf is cut into small pieces, which the gilder applies one at a time with her finger (the skin’s natural oil attracts the gold leaf). Moisture from the illuminator’s breath, delivered gently through a bamboo tube, activates the glue in the gesso. When the application is complete, the gold is covered

with a silk cloth and burnished. The slightly raised contours typical of gesso gilding reflect light, enhancing the gold’s effect.

Binding The seven volumes of The Saint John’s Bible will each be bound between boards of Welsh oak with a goatskin spine and a stainless steel clasp. This model shows how the actual binding will be constructed. First the vellum sheets must be trimmed to a uniform size and folded in half. These folios are then stacked one inside the other in groups of three, called gatherings, each comprising twelve pages. It is important that hair sides touch only hair sides, and flesh sides touch flesh sides. The gatherings are each stitched through the fold and then assembled in the correct order. They are attached to the boards by means of leather bands. The large size of The Saint John’s Bible required boards from a straight-growing oak (not grown on a hillside) about two hundred years old. A 180-year-old tree that blew down in a storm on the Powis Castle estate in Wales provided the wood. The oak boards are quartersawn (the grain runs opposite to the cut), making them less likely to warp.

Meir ben Moshe Book of Esther, early 1990s Ink on parchment scroll with carved olive wood nartick (scroll case) Collection of Albert Feldmann The scribe Meir ben Moshe transcribed the book of Esther, which forms the basis for the Jewish celebration of Purim. During the celebration, the text is read aloud twice. In this contemporary scroll, ben Moshe begins each column with the phrase hamelekh or “the king” and repeat s the visual motif of a royal crown above the phrase. Based on the text from the book of Esther, this format underscores ben Moshe’s skill as a calligrapher as he changes the width of each letter and the spacing between words to fit his formal organization.

Unknown scribe Torah scroll, circa mid-1830s Ink on parchment Courtesy of Temple Beth El, Tacoma, Washington This passage of the Torah is the Song of the Sea (Exodus 15) and is the song that the Israelites sang after escaping from Egypt and crossing the Sea of Reeds. The chapter is traditionally written to give the appearance of a brick wall representing the two walls of the sea through which the Israelites passed. The Song of the Sea is only one of two passages in the Torah to be written in a format other than columns. Temple Beth El graciously shared this Torah scroll for exhibition because it has been designated as non-active and currently not used for worship.

The Koran The Koran (Qur’an) is the sacred text of Islam. Muslims believe that God (Allah) revealed it to the prophet Muhammad, through the angel Gabriel, between A.D. 610, when Allah called Muhammad to be his messenger, and 632, the year Muhammad died. The Koran (the word means “recitation”) consists of 114 suras, or chapters, about what to believe and how to live a moral life in submission to the will of Allah. The Koran passed from oral tradition to its written form in just over a decade after Muhammad’s death. The language of the Koran is Arabic. The Prophet’s followers recorded his revelations on whatever material was at hand, including dried leaves, animal bones, and stones. These fragments were compiled into a single, authoritative written text under the fourth leader of Islam, Caliph Uthman, and no additions or deletions have ever been permitted. Because it was through writing that the divine revelations to Muhammad were passed down, calligraphy has always been considered the highest form of Islamic artistic expression. The ornamental Kufic script is often used for the Koran. Since Islam forbids illustrating religious texts with figurative scenes, Koranic manuscripts are often sumptuously decorated

with interlocking geometric patterns and stylized plant forms.

The Torah Pentateuch (five scrolls) refers to the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In Judaism this collection of books is referred to as “the Law” or “Torah.” The Torah, or Pentateuch (Five Scrolls), traditionally the most revered portion of the Hebrew scriptures, is a combination of narratives, prophecies, and poetry. It provides an account of events in the early history of the Jews, from the beginning of the world to the death of Moses. The Torah also contains many laws covering every aspect of life, including food and festivals. The Torah has continued to be the most decisive factor in the Hebrew religion’s survival and its incalculable influence in the history of Western culture. The Torah scroll is the most important object in a synagogue and the only one that is intrinsically holy. Detailed regulations govern its preparation: it must be handwritten in black ink, by a specially trained scribe, on one side of parchment made from the skins of ritually permitted and slaughtered (kosher) animals. The text of the Torah is written in square Hebrew letters, without vowels or punctuation marks. The sheets are then sewn together to form a long scroll, whose ends are tied to two wooden rollers called atzei hayyim (“trees of life”). The scrolls may be enclosed

in a hard case, called a tik, or covered by a fabric dressed with silver ornaments. When not in use, the scrolls are kept in a special cupboard called the Holy Ark.