The Gospel Book Of Otto III

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The Ottonian period was from the year 919 to 1024, in which Germany became the leading country in Europe politically and artistically. The Ottonian rulers adopted Carolingian ambitions and traditions in art and politics to achieve greatness, but they developed their own original identity. The Ottonian emperors like the Carolingian rulers wanted a closer relationship with the papacy and planned to recreate the glory of the ancient Roman Empire in a universal Christian state governed by the Pope. Therefore, the principal monarchs of the Ottonian dynasty, Otto I (c. 912-973), Otto II (c. 955-983), and Otto III (c. 980-1002) proceeded with their political agenda by sponsoring religious reforms, literature, and the arts.
An exemplar of spiritual …show more content…

Jesus Washing the Feet of St. Peter (ca.997-100) and St. Luke (ca.997-100) illuminated pages contain the echoes of ancient painting and architectural perspective used in Roman wall painting through Byzantine art (Davies, et al. 341). Set in a gold Byzantine background, Jesus Washing the Feet of St. Peter depicts Christ and Peter as the central figures. As in Otto III Receiving the Homage of the Four Parts of the Empire, both Jesus and his apostle Peter are larger than the bystanders, thus visually reinforcing their importance. Jesus is standing and extending his three right fingers in a benedictory gesture to the seated Peter. This benedictory gesture echoes the cover page of the Godescalc Gospels, Christ Enthroned. Peter is looking up at Christ with his left foot in a bowl of water and both arms raised in a supplicant manner to receive his blessing. However, this depiction is also different from the static Christ Enthroned in that here is an emphasis on the shifting from “physical to spiritual action” (Davies, et al. 342). Once more here, Christ has a cruciform halo in which three arms are showing and along with the three fingers raised, eludes to the Holy Trinity. The eight apostles who are reduced to as mere bystanders are compressed into a small space on the right watching this blessed event. There are two male figures on left, one who is holding a bowl of water and another …show more content…

Luke (ca. 997-1000). Luke is one of the Four Evangelists who were authors on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. In this vivid and elaborate scene, the central figure is the enthroned Luke who supports a host of Jewish prophets and heavenly messengers with his outstretched arms and with books from the Old Testament is stacked in his lap. His throne consists of two rainbows as he holds above him a cluster of clouds looking powerful and formidable. Within these cluster of clouds “tongues of light radiate in every direction” reinforcing that the power of God moves through him (Davies, et al. 342). The central element within the clouds is the winged ox, which is Luke’s symbol. The ox is a symbolic figure because it represents sacrifice, service, and strength and Christians need to follow the example of this animal to follow Christ. The winged ox is surrounded by five crowned Hebrew prophets in a circular manner whose heads are only visible. The outer circle of the cloud comprises of six angels with golden halos. At the bottom of this illustration, are two lambs to the left and right of Luke drinking the life-giving waters that pour forth from his feet. To tie the mystical and Christian elements on this page is the inscription at the bottom of the page: Fonte patrum ductas bos agnis elicit undas (“From the source of the fathers, the ox brings forth a flow of water for the

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