Getty Museum

Canon Table Page

Date

1256

Medium

Tempera and gold paint

Culture

Armenian

Department

Manuscripts

Institution

Getty Museum

The two tall birds who peer inquisitively at each other at the top of this illuminated canon table page echo the appearance of similar birds at the top of the facing page. Indeed, many of the same motifs are used on both pages to unite the two-page spread. The inanimate objects such as the candlesticks, the decorative panels, and the figure-topped columns are identical, but the artist has added variety by changing the positions of the living creatures. While the birds at the top of the facing page are in motion, spreading their wings, the two birds at the top of this page are at rest, their wings folded. Likewise, the small birds on the opposite page which are peacefully perched on top of the trees are here transformed into birds of prey, diving down in swift action. These minor adjustments by the artist, T'oros Roslin, unify the pages while adding visual interest.

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