Gospel of John: Evangelist

Unknown

Folio from an unknown Gospel book written in Armenian in the twelfth or thirteenth century. A scribe sits in a high-backed chair before an inlaid wooden table. He is dipping his large brush into a bowl. Perhaps he is preparing the surface of his sheet for writing. This is an unusual example of an evangelist portrait, appearing as it does within the text rather than at the beginning of his book. The text above is from John 12:18-24 (recto) and 24-26 (verso). Verse numbers are written in the left margin.