Artwork Page for Title Page of St. Gregory's "Moralia": Job Visited by His Three Friends (above) and Gregory the Great and His Deacon Peter (below)

Details / Information for Title Page of St. Gregory's "Moralia": Job Visited by His Three Friends (above) and Gregory the Great and His Deacon Peter (below)

Title Page of St. Gregory's "Moralia": Job Visited by His Three Friends (above) and Gregory the Great and His Deacon Peter (below)

c. 1143–1178

probably by Abbot Frowin

(Swiss)
Culture
Switzerland, Monastery of Engelberg, 12th century
Medium
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum
Measurements
Sheet: 27.3 x 19 cm (10 3/4 x 7 1/2 in.); Framed: 52.4 x 39.7 cm (20 5/8 x 15 5/8 in.); Matted: 48.9 x 36.2 cm (19 1/4 x 14 1/4 in.)
Credit Line
Purchase from the J. H. Wade Fund 1955.74
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This leaf originally formed the title page of a four-volume Moralia (Commentary on the Book of Job) by Gregory the Great, pope and father of the Latin Church. The books still survive in the library of the Monastery of Engelberg, near Lucerne. Both the copying and illumination of the books are attributed to the hand of Engelberg's greatest abbot, Frowin, who ruled from 1143 to 1178. Frowin seemed to be responsible, either as a writer, illuminator, or donor, for nearly 30 manuscripts still preserved at that monastery.
A vertically oriented ink and tempera painting on vellum depicts two stacked scenes inside a decorative red and green border. In the upper, an unclothed man sits on a red structure facing three seated men in red and green robes. In the lower, a man wearing a red and green robe and mitre holds a long scroll reaching a monk at a lectern. All figures have light skin tones. A green bird flies above.

Title Page of St. Gregory's "Moralia": Job Visited by His Three Friends (above) and Gregory the Great and His Deacon Peter (below)

c. 1143–1178

Abbot Frowin

(Swiss)
Switzerland, Monastery of Engelberg, 12th century

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