T’oros Roslin Gospels

Hromkla, Cilician Armenia · 1262 · Armenian · W.539

Signed by T’oros Roslin, the most celebrated Armenian painter of the Middle Ages, and made in 1262 at Hromkla, the seat of the head of the Armenian Church in Cilicia, for a priest also named T’oros. Besides the Evangelists, it tells the Gospel story in pictures — full pages, half pages and small scenes beside the text. It is the richest of the seven known books that bear his name.

All pages of the manuscript at OPenn

15 pages

Pages

fol. 5v · A canon table under a pink arch, surrounded by birds, trees and a heron. In the arch sits the prophet Isaiah with a scroll bearing his words about a virgin who will bear a son — a prophecy Matthew quotes.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Isa 7:14Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel.
fol. 13v · Matthew, chin in hand, thinks before he writes; a lectern with an open book stands before him, and his name is written in large letters on the gold ground.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
fol. 14r · The first page of Matthew: a headpiece of gold and blue scrolls with birds on top, and the first letter formed by an angel, Matthew’s symbol.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Matt 1:1This is the record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
fol. 15r · The ancestors of Jesus from Matthew’s list, each in a round medallion, row below row — first the patriarchs, then the kings in their crowns.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Matt 1:2–11Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers. Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, and Hezron the father of Ram. Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, and Nahshon the father of Salmon. Salmon was the father of Boaz by Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of David the king. Next: David was the father of Solomon by Uriah’s wife, Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asa. Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, and Joram the father of Uzziah. Uzziah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, and Ahaz the father of Hezekiah. Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, and Josiah the father of Jeconiah and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon.
fol. 67r · The feeding of the five thousand, painted under the very columns that tell it: Jesus blesses the bread, and the disciples hand out loaves and fish to people sitting on the grass.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Matt 14:19And He directed the crowds to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He spoke a blessing. Then He broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
fol. 130v · Mark writes his Gospel on a sheet on his knee, in front of a red curtain and a tall building.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
fol. 131r · The first page of Mark, with winged beasts above the headpiece; the first letter is formed by a lion, Mark’s symbol.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Mark 1:1This is the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
fol. 163r · The Transfiguration: Jesus in white inside an oval of blue light on the mountain, Elijah and Moses on either side, and Peter, James and John fallen to the ground below.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Mark 9:2–4After six days Jesus took with Him Peter, James, and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There He was transfigured before them. His clothes became radiantly white, brighter than any launderer on earth could bleach them. And Elijah and Moses appeared before them, talking with Jesus.
fol. 174r · The entry into Jerusalem: Jesus rides toward the city gate, a boy in a palm tree cuts branches, children spread their garments on the road, and the elders come out to meet him.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Mark 11:7–8Then they led the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, and He sat on it. Many in the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut from the fields.
fol. 200v · Luke writes at his desk under a red curtain held up by poles, in front of a blue building.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
fol. 201r · The first page of Luke, with an ibex and a beast above the headpiece and the first letter formed by Luke’s symbol, the ox.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Luke 1:1Many have undertaken to compose an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us,
fol. 208v · The Nativity: Mary lies on a red mattress in a cave, the Child in the manger with the ox and the donkey, Joseph sits below, and shepherds come in from the right.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Luke 2:7And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
fol. 316v · The Ascension, at the end of Luke: Jesus rises in a blue oval carried by angels, while Mary and the apostles look up from below.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
Luke 24:50–51When Jesus had led them out as far as Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was carried up into heaven.
fol. 317v · John and his disciple Prochorus at the mouth of a cave. By tradition John dictated his Gospel to Prochorus on the island of Patmos; here John turns toward a hand reaching down from heaven.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
fol. 331v · Jesus sits by the well and talks with the Samaritan woman, who holds her jar, while the disciples come back from the town on the right.Walters Art Museum · W.539 · CC0
John 4:7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.”