Getty Museum

Historia Scholastica

Date

about 1300

Medium

Tempera colors and gold leaf

Culture

Austrian

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

The popular work known as the *Scholastic History* was written around 1170 by the theologian Peter Comestor. Originally composed in Latin but quickly translated into French and other vernacular languages, the text paraphrases and comments on Christian stories mostly taken from the Bible. It tells a universalizing history of humankind from a Christian perspective, encompassing episodes from the creation of the world to Christ’s believed ascension. This sumptuous example, originally made in what is now Austria, dates to around 1300 and features 18 decorated initials, all set against gold backgrounds. The text is written in black, red, and blue inks. The ornamented letters are frequently historiated (initials that contain identifiable figures or scenes) and relate directly to the texts they accompany. Colorful dragons and vines also coil in and out of the letters and their frames. The images build on biblical narratives, visualizing important scenes and helping guide the reader through the manuscript. They pair with the openings of biblical books or stories, although the beginning of every section is not necessarily marked by a decorated initial. The *Scholastic History* was written with the students at the cathedral school in Paris in mind and eventually became part of the core curriculum of medieval universities like Oxford and Paris. It exerted great influence on Christian thinkers and preachers into the sixteenth century.

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