La badessa Hitda di Meschede - Imago Editore - Evangeliario di Hitda (anno 1000): edizione facsimile - 2023

Hitda Codex - Codex Hs1640
Darmstadt, University and State Library

Specimen number: XLII

219 cards
Application of gold leaf
Connection made manually
hand stitching
Mounting on old paper
Leather cover with the four evangelists on gold leaf applied by hand and brass frames.

The Hitda Codex is a magnificent Latin Evangeliary created for the female monastery of Meschede and donated by the abbess Hitda, a member of the German aristocracy. This precious manuscript stands out for its artistic excellence and decorative richness, with 65 finely illustrated pages, including 24 full-page panels adorned with gold leaf and elaborate borders.
The images reflect a refined symbolic language, the result of an art that blends Byzantine and Carolingian iconography with an expressionist and experimental taste typical of the period. The decorative framework supports the mysteries of liturgical life, creating a visually intense dialogue. Among the most remarkable miniatures, the famous scene of the 'Storm on the Sea of Tiberias' stands out, a testament to the originality and mastery of the work.

This code represents a rare example of the cultural and spiritual richness of the Ottonian Renaissance, a period of extraordinary innovations in miniature art.

Complete set with box and commentary.

Published by Imago - The nobility of the facsimile.