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Full-Text Articles in Arts and Humanities
16, The Nativity, Jereme Shaver
16, The Nativity, Jereme Shaver
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
In Thielman Kerver’s 1507 Book of Hours, a depiction of the Nativity of Christ is located in the Infancy Cycle within the Hours of the Virgin. Placement of this image in the Hours of the Virgin in the Prime section, which was used during the early morning, included devotion to Psalms 50, 62, and 89, as well as the Nativity scene. This essay discusses the symbolism included in this image in the context of the time of its publication.
11, The Three-Faced Representation Of The Holy Trinity, Zoe Goedecke
11, The Three-Faced Representation Of The Holy Trinity, Zoe Goedecke
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
In the thirteenth century, artists began depicting the Holy Trinity as a single tricephalic figure, likely in an attempt to convey that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are One. This essay discusses the three-faced image of the Trinity in the Book of Hours and the history of tricephalic imagery in Christian representations, from its early appearances to eventual condemnation by the papacy.
15, The Flight Into Egypt, Jereme Shaver
15, The Flight Into Egypt, Jereme Shaver
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
The flight of Holy Family into Egypt and their eventual return was interpreted by the Gospel writer Matthew as the fulfillment the prophecy of Hosea. An image of this biblical event is located on sig. i8 of Thielman Kerver’s 1507 Book of Hours, in the Vespers section, which are the evening prayers at the end of the Hours of the Virgin. This essay discusses the rich symbolism included in this illustration.
14, Arma Christi, Bridget Eide
14, Arma Christi, Bridget Eide
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
As part of spiritual discipline, daily prayer was a routine practice and was believed to bring the reader closer to God. The Arma Christi and the Instruments of the Passion images found within a medieval book of hours were used for purposes of prayer and reflection. This essay examines the Arma Christi as it is pictured, and duplicated, in Thielman Kerver's 1507 printing.
03, Speculum Conscientie, Halia Daley
03, Speculum Conscientie, Halia Daley
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
Speculum Conscientie is Latin for “Mirror of Conscience” and this section of the Book of Hours is composed of elements that reflect that meaning. The section contains the Ten Commandments, the seven mortal sins, and the articles of the faithful which include the five senses, works of corporal and spiritual mercy, theological virtues, cardinal virtues, the seven gifts of the holy spirit, and the seven ecclesiastical sacraments. This essay discusses the content, placement, and symbols of this section of this Book of Hours.
09, Typological Images And Thought, Courtney Rhoades
09, Typological Images And Thought, Courtney Rhoades
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
Portland State University’s Kerver Book of Hours contains typological images in sets of three. Typological images are more commonly displayed in sets of two consisting of a type and an antitype. Typological thought uses images from the Hebrew Bible placed alongside the images of the New Testament in order to act as a prophecy.By viewing the Hebrew Bible as a prophecy for the New Testament, the church is able to justify the existence of the Hebrew Bible. The Hebrew Bible must be preserved in order for it to be interpreted, and the Book of Hours was used as a tool …
10, Danse Macabre, Stefano Paparo
10, Danse Macabre, Stefano Paparo
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
The Danse Macabre (the Dance of Death) is a 15th-century conceit, both pictorial and textual, of the humbling power of death. In the years following the plagues of late 14th-century Europe, it seems almost inevitable that the Danse Macabre would become a popular theme in medieval art. The Danse Macabre in Thielman Kerver’s printed Book of Hours (1507) is depicted in a series of marginal illustrations in which Death, pictured as a decomposing corpse or transi, accompanies 66 “dancers” to the afterlife. Medieval artists and their patrons could subvert attitudes toward certain figures of power by including their images in …
18, Martyrdom Of St. John The Evangelist, David Powers
18, Martyrdom Of St. John The Evangelist, David Powers
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
Stories like St. John’s trial in boiling oil, pictured in Kerver's 1507 Book of Hours, were used by the Church to demonstrate the power of faith against threats of pain and death.This essay examines the symbolism in the image of St. John's martyrdom and discusses how narratives of self-sacrifice worked to inspire the spread of Christianity.
13, The Tree Of Jesse, Bridget Eide
13, The Tree Of Jesse, Bridget Eide
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
The Tree of Jesse was a popular medieval theme used to represent the family tree of Christ. More specifically, it was used to represent Christ’s human ancestors, including Jesse, King David, and the Virgin Mary. This essay discusses the iconography and symbolism in this Book of Hours' image of the Tree of Jesse.
17, The Crucifixion, Shawn Peralta
17, The Crucifixion, Shawn Peralta
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
The image of the Crucifixion of Jesus in the Book of Hours provides visual context for remembrance of the Octave of Easter in the liturgical calendar, and it is also the basis for the Passion of Jesus. This essay discusses the Biblical context, characters, and symbols included in the illustration of the Crucifixion in Thielman Kerver's 1507 printing.
06, Kerver's 1507 Book Of Hours And The Four "Spanish Saints", Sophia Germond
06, Kerver's 1507 Book Of Hours And The Four "Spanish Saints", Sophia Germond
Kerver Book of Hours: 2018 Senior Capstone
This essay presents research on four saints included in the Book of Hours' liturgical calendar who were particularly celebrated in Spain, suggesting that the book was printed to be distributed to the Spanish market.
02, A Mystery Of Belonging: Original Ownership Of The Portland State University Book Of Hours, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan
02, A Mystery Of Belonging: Original Ownership Of The Portland State University Book Of Hours, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan
Texts of Time
Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan discusses patronage and ownership of Books of Hours and explores evidence within PSU’s book that suggest information about its possible owner or owners.
05, Latin, Vernacular Language, And Personal Devotion In The Portland State Book Of Hours, Matthias Bladou
05, Latin, Vernacular Language, And Personal Devotion In The Portland State Book Of Hours, Matthias Bladou
Texts of Time
Matthias Bladou describes the use of Latin and vernacular French in the Book of Hours, and how language reflected a more personal use of prayer texts in the fifteenth century.
01, "Texts Of Time: The Portland State Library Book Of Hours And The Medieval Manuscript Tradition" Exhibit Catalog, Anne Mcclanan, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan, Melissa Medefesser, Kenna Miller, Matthias Bladou, Thomas Goodwin, Devin Courtright, Bethany Kraft, Jackie Anderson, Charolette Stoehr, Caitlyn Au
01, "Texts Of Time: The Portland State Library Book Of Hours And The Medieval Manuscript Tradition" Exhibit Catalog, Anne Mcclanan, Shirleanne Ackerman Gahan, Melissa Medefesser, Kenna Miller, Matthias Bladou, Thomas Goodwin, Devin Courtright, Bethany Kraft, Jackie Anderson, Charolette Stoehr, Caitlyn Au
Texts of Time
This is the catalog for the exhibit "Texts of Time: The Portland State Library Book of Hours and the Medieval Manuscript Tradition"
12, A Love Affair: Passionate Pursuits Of The Book Of Hours, Tammy Boyer-Martel
12, A Love Affair: Passionate Pursuits Of The Book Of Hours, Tammy Boyer-Martel
Texts of Time
Tammy Boyer-Martel focuses on how the Book of Hours provides crucial resources of cultural context that reveal the intimate and personal relationship between text and owner.
09, Decorated Borders: Marginalia, Jackie Anderson
09, Decorated Borders: Marginalia, Jackie Anderson
Texts of Time
Jackie Anderson explains the importance of devotional books in medieval life and describes the significance of color and symbol in the marginal illustrations and illustrated initials on a fifteenth-century manuscript.
10, Points Of Difference, Charolette Stoehr
10, Points Of Difference, Charolette Stoehr
Texts of Time
Charolette Stoehr describes the points of difference and continuity amongst Book of Hours.
06, The Transition From Psalters To Books Of Hours, Thomas Goodwin
06, The Transition From Psalters To Books Of Hours, Thomas Goodwin
Texts of Time
Thomas Goodwin describes the types of manuscripts that preceded Books of Hours, their commonalities and distinctions, and the changes in content and design of devotional manuscripts over time.
11, Depictions Of The Arch In Medieval Books Of Hours: Historic And Symbolic Origins, Caitlyn Au
11, Depictions Of The Arch In Medieval Books Of Hours: Historic And Symbolic Origins, Caitlyn Au
Texts of Time
Caitlyn Au describes the use and meanings of the medieval arch shape as a frame for displaying illuminations within niches and through symbolic gateways.
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Overview Of Text, Bronwyn Dorhofer
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Overview Of Text, Bronwyn Dorhofer
Gift of the Word
PSU student Bronwyn Dorhofer presents her research on a selection of pages from an 18th-century prayer book, an Agpeya, written in Bohairic Coptic and Arabic. This manuscript on paper was transcribed for the purpose of hourly prayers and hymns and it is likely that the text would have been read and sung by a Coptic priest in a church setting as part of daily ritual. Cresting the top of each prayer page are hand-drawn archways reflecting the interlaced geometric patterns in Islamic designs.
Dimensions: 19.5 x 13.7 cm Origin: Egypt
Portland State University Library, Special Collections, Mss. …
"Gift Of The Word" Exhibit Catalogue, Katherine Bass, Karena Bennett, Jeffrey Brown, Bronwyn Dorhofer, Normandie Holmes, Denise Loncar, Alexandra Park, Darcie Hart Riedner, Christy Valentine
"Gift Of The Word" Exhibit Catalogue, Katherine Bass, Karena Bennett, Jeffrey Brown, Bronwyn Dorhofer, Normandie Holmes, Denise Loncar, Alexandra Park, Darcie Hart Riedner, Christy Valentine
Gift of the Word
This is the catalogue for the exhibit "Gift of the Word"
Abbasid Qur’An Leaf In Kufic Script Description, Jeffrey Brown
Abbasid Qur’An Leaf In Kufic Script Description, Jeffrey Brown
Gift of the Word
PSU student Jeff Brown presents his research on a leaf from a Qur’an manuscript in Kufic script. This vellum leaf dates to approximately the turn of the tenth century (early 4th century AH), the height of the Abbasid dynasty, and may have been produced in one of the great centers of Islamic culture such as Cairo, Damascus, or Kairouan. Kufic script is common to Qur’ans from this era. This page is from Surah 87 (Al-A’la), verses 11-15 [verso], 16-19 [recto], which warns against the perils of a worldly existence that ignores the path to salvation put forth by scripture. …
Ethiopian Scroll, Karena Bennett
Ethiopian Scroll, Karena Bennett
Gift of the Word
PSU student Karena Bennett presents her research on the creation and meaning of an Ethiopian magic scroll from the 19th century. Scrolls such as this were created for individuals, inscribed with specific prayers and then worn as talismans. The text is in Ge’ez, an Ethiopian liturgical language, and the images depict guardian angels and a priest watching over the supplicant. The scroll is made of vellum and was originally a single continuous piece.
Dimensions: 15 x 192 cm
Portland State University Library, Special Collections, Mss 39
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Warrior Saint Images, Denise Loncar
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Warrior Saint Images, Denise Loncar
Gift of the Word
PSU student Denise Loncar presents her research on a selection of illustrated pages from an 18th-century Coptic prayer book. The hand-painted images of Christian saints on horseback (St. George, St. Theodore the Eastern, and St. Mercurius) are similar to equestrian representations seen in Eastern Orthodox, Armenian, and Ethiopian iconography, indicating a complex interplay of cultural influences that is also shown by the Coptic, Arabic, and Greek text.
Dimensions: 19.5 x 13.7 cm Origin: Egypt
Portland State University Library, Special Collections, Mss. 40
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Video Exploration, Jordan Long
Coptic Prayer Book Leaves: Video Exploration, Jordan Long
Gift of the Word
PSU student Jordan Long wrote and narrated this video as part of PSU’s University Studies program for the Medieval Portland Capstone taught by Professor Anne McClanan. This five-minute presentation demonstrates that the hand-illuminated Agpeya in Portland State’s Special Collections is a rare example of a manuscript book created after the rise of printing, describes the technique, materials, and meanings of its illustrations and calligraphy, and identifies its liturgical use as a ritual text.
Soundtrack: Choir of the Coptic Church, "Litugical Hymns," Chants from the Holy Land, vol. 35: Ecumenical Evening.
Portland State University Library, Special Collections, Mss. 40