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Source Description
The four gospels are preceded by a full-page portrait miniature of the appropriate evangelist. Per tradition, they are represented as contemporary scribes surrounded by all the tools of their trade—ink pots, quill pens, and penknives. The anonymous illuminator of these miniatures, called the Hausbuch Master, is known primarily for an album of lively drawings as well as some 90 copper engravings now in Amsterdam. He was also apparently a panel painter of some distinction. The skillful pen work, tracery, and vine scrolls, as well as the large initials, are the work of other artists. The binding is original.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
130051
label
Gospel Book with Evangelist Portraits
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
130051
contentType
object
title
Gospel Book with Evangelist Portraits
description
The four gospels are preceded by a full-page portrait miniature of the appropriate evangelist. Per tradition, they are represented as contemporary scribes surrounded by all the tools of their trade—ink pots, quill pens, and penknives. The anonymous illuminator of these miniatures, called the Hausbuch Master, is known primarily for an album of lively drawings as well as some 90 copper engravings now in Amsterdam. He was also apparently a panel painter of some distinction. The skillful pen work, tracery, and vine scrolls, as well as the large initials, are the work of other artists. The binding is original.
date
c. 1480
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q79911671
creators
543568
genreSpecific
Bound Volume
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Codex: 23.7 x 18.4 x 5.4 cm (9 5/16 x 7 1/4 x 2 1/8 in.)
cul
Germany, Middle Rhine
accession
1952.465
Source extras
tec
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum; original blind stamped leather binding
tombstone
Gospel Book with Evangelist Portraits, c. 1480. Master of the House-Book (German, c. 1470–1500). Ink, tempera, and gold on vellum; original blind stamped leather binding; codex: 23.7 x 18.4 x 5.4 cm (9 5/16 x 7 1/4 x 2 1/8 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund, 1952.465
collection
MED - Manuscript Illuminations
didYouKnow
The Hausbuch Master, also a printmaker, is thought to be the first artist to use a form of engraving known as drypoint.
citations
citation
Stange, Alfred. <em>Deutsche Malerei der Gotik</em>. Berlin: Deutscher Kunst, 1955.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 120, 105; Reproduced: pl. 286
citation
William M. Milliken, "An Illuminated Manuscript by the Master of the Hausbuch" <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art </em>(June 1953)
page_number
121, 122, repr. 116 and 117
citation
<em>Art Digest</em>. New York: Art Digest Inc, July 1953.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 14, pl. 3
citation
<em>The Connoisseur</em>. London: National Magazine Co., December 1953.
page_number
211
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>The Cleveland Museum of Art Handbook.</em> Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1958.
page_number
Mentioned and Reproduced: cat. no. 192
citation
Milliken, William Mathewson. The Cleveland Museum of Art. 1958.
citation
William D. Wixom, "Twelve Masterpieces of Medieval and Renaissance Book Illumination" <em>The Bulletin of the Cleveland Museum of Art</em> LI, no. 3 (March 1964)
page_number
p. 58-60, no. 11
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art, and Merald Ernest Wrolstad. <em>Selected Works.</em> 1966.
page_number
no. 108
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1966</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1966.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 68
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1969</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1969.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 68
citation
The Cleveland Museum of Art. <em>Handbook of the Cleveland Museum of Art/1978</em>. Cleveland, OH: The Cleveland Museum of Art, 1978.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 77
citation
Filedt Kok, J. P. <em>Livelier Than Life: The Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet or the Master of the Housebook</em>, Ca. 1470-1500. Amsterdam: Rijksprentenkabinet in association with Gary Schwartz, 1985.
page_number
p. 246, no. 119, pl. 6
citation
Rijksmuseum (Netherlands), and Städtische Galerie im Städelschen Kunstinstitut Frankfurt am Main. Vom Leben im späten Mittelalter: der Hausbuchmeister oder Meister des Amsterdamer Kabinetts : Rijksmuseum Amsterdam 14. März-9. Juni 1985 ; Städtische Galerie im Städelschen Kunstinstitut Frankfurt am Main, 5. September-3. November 1985. Amsterdam: Rijksmuseum, 1985.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 222, cat. no. 119; Reproduced: p. 223
citation
Hindman, Sandra. <em>The Robert Lehman Collection: IV. illuminations</em>. New York [NY]: Metropolitan Museum of Art [etc.], 1997.
page_number
19, fig. 2.6
citation
Husband, Timothy. <em>The Medieval Housebook & the Art of Illustration</em>. New York: Frick Collection, 1999.
page_number
Mentioned: p. 266; Reproduced: p. 267, no. 100
citation
Cleveland Museum of Art, and Holger A. Klein. <em>Sacred Gifts and Worldly Treasures: Medieval Masterworks from the Cleveland Museum of Art. </em>Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2007.
page_number
cat. no. 94, p. 250
citation
Fliegel, Stephen N. <em>Resplendent Faith: Liturgical Treasuries of the Middle Ages</em>. Kent, Ohio: Kent State University Press, 2009.
page_number
80, fig. 67
citation
Pelgen, Franz L., and Nikolaus Nievergalt. Nikolaus Nievergalt aus Speyer und seine spätgotischen Altartafeln. Speyer : Pilgerverlag GmbH, 2021.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: pp. 182-186, abb 160-163
creditline
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
updatedAt
2026-05-29 06:42:42.115000
sourceId
130051
dept
Medieval Art
coll
MED - Manuscript Illuminations
med
ink, tempera, and gold on vellum; original blind stamped leather binding
creatorTags
male
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
78b5c310eae7fbb7