Gospel Book, Evangelist Mark, Walters Manuscript W.527, fol. 1v

Gospel Book, Evangelist Mark, Walters Manuscript W.527, fol. 1v, originally uploaded by Walters Art Museum Illuminated Manuscripts.

The Gospel text in this manuscript is now fragmentary, and its folia are bound out of order. However, it provides a fine and quite early example of the so-called pearl script: a calligraphic form minuscule handwriting that was extremely popular in the Byzantine Empire. The single surviving miniature is interesting on account of the peculiar technique, similar to watercolor, in which it was painted. Another evangelist portrait from the same set survives on Mount Athos, Docheiarou Monastery, MS 56.y