Vienna Genesis
| Vienna Genesis | |
|---|---|
| Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Vienna | |
The illustration on folio 12v from the Vienna Genesis shows the story of Jacob wrestling with the angel | |
| Type | Illuminated manuscript, codex |
| Date | Early 6th century |
| Place of origin | Byzantine Syria |
| Language | Greek |
| Scribe | Unrecorded |
| Compiled by | Unrecorded |
| Illuminated by | Unrecorded artist(s) |
| Patron | Likely wealthy Christian or imperial patron |
| Material | Parchment, tempera, gold, and silver |
| Size | 31.75 × 23.5 cm (folio) |
| Condition | Partially preserved |
| Script | Byzantine minuscule |
| Contents | Book of Genesis; narrative illustrations of Biblical stories |
| Illumination(s) | Classical heritage with personifications, modeling, and continuous narration |
| Exemplar | Ancient Roman pictorial models |
The Vienna Genesis (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, cod. theol. gr. 31), designated by siglum L (Ralphs), is an illuminated manuscript, probably produced in Syria in the first half of the 6th century. It is one of the oldest well-preserved, surviving, illustrated biblical codices; only the Garima Gospels of Ethiopia, dating to the 5th and 6th centuries, are as old or older.
The surviving text is part of the Book of Genesis in the Greek Septuagint translation. The text is frequently abbreviated. There are twenty-four surviving folios, each with miniatures at the bottom of both sides. It is thought that there were originally about ninety-six folios and 192 illustrations. The book is written in uncials with silver ink on calfskin dyed a rich purple, placing it very firmly in the category of luxury manuscripts.
The Vienna Genesis relates to the Rossano Gospels and the Sinope Gospels, from roughly the same period.