The Presentation of Jerome’s First Letter to Paulinus of Nola in the Codex Amiatinus Pentateuch Diagram

Darby, Peter

Abstract

A diagram in the first quire of the Codex Amiatinus features five textual captions arranged in cruciform formation, one for each book of the Pentateuch. These are taken from Jerome's first letter to Paulinus of Nola (Epistle 53) which was written in 394 AD. This article examines the diagram's colours, geometric structure, manuscript location and script. It suggests that the Pentateuch diagram should be regarded as a highly original piece of visual exegesis designed to celebrate the contribution made by Jerome to the transmission of the Latin Bible and point the viewer towards typological interpretations of Old Testament figures and events.

Citation

Darby, P. (2021). The Presentation of Jerome’s First Letter to Paulinus of Nola in the Codex Amiatinus Pentateuch Diagram. Peritia, 31, 59-87. https://doi.org/10.1484/J.PERIT.5.124469

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 31, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Dec 31, 2020
• Publication Date: Jul 27, 2021
• Deposit Date: Feb 11, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 1, 2023
• Journal: Peritia
• Print ISSN: 0332-1592
• Electronic ISSN: 2034-6506
• Publisher: Brepols Publishers
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 31
• Pages: 59-87
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1484/J.PERIT.5.124469
• Keywords: Codex Amiatinus; Pentateuch; Wearmouth-Jarrow; manuscript illumination; Jerome; Paulinus of Nola; Epistle 53; Vulgate; Ceolfrith
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1535440
• Publisher URL: https://www.brepolsonline.net/doi/abs/10.1484/J.PERIT.5.124469
• Contract Date: Feb 11, 2019