Beschreibung:

Strasty Christovy [The Story of Holy Week from the Entry into Jerusalem to the Resurrection with added legends of Lazarus, Judas and Pilate].
Russia: c. 1780?]. Illustrated manuscript on paper, 137 ff. (207 x 155 mm), in Russian Church Slavonic, complete. Illustrated with 30 full decorated openings (each consisting of a colour-wash miniature, c.105 x 90 mm., facing an architectural frame containing the title of the following chapter in 8 lines of large red script), and with 5 inserted full-page miniatures within yellow frames executed in ink line and bold colours on wove paper. The text pages each within a yellow frame (c.170 x 130 mm) and each consisting of 22 lines of neat black script with red initials and headers surmounted by yellow ovals containing the chapter number. With decorative floral space fillers at the end of chapters where necessary. Contemporary late18th-century calf over bevelled wooden boards, upper cover elaborately panelled in gilt and blind, the lower cover with a simpler border in gilt and blind, spine in four compartments with semi-raised bands, the bands flanked with blind fillets, each compartment with a large single gilt tool, leather and brass clasps. Condition: light staining to the upper outer corners, thumbmarks from much use on lower outer corner, a few neat repairs; gilding oxidised to black, modern endpapers. an attractive, rare, complete manuscript from the church of the old believers in russia. Illustration : the 30 colour-wash miniatures follow the cycle of a printed poster in westernised style, from the Entry in Jerusalem, through the consultations of the Sanhedrin through the various stages of the trial and appeal to Pilate. The five inserted miniatures in line and wash are in a more traditional Byzantine-Russian style. These illustrate (not in chronological order) f.1v, the Entry in into Jerusalem, f.2, the Vigil on the Mount of Olives, f.2v, the Last Supper, f.133, the Resurrection, and f.137 a composite picture of elements of the Passion, with the throwing of dice for Jesus' garments and John and the two Maries in the foreground, and Jesus being nailed onto an already erect cross between those of the two thieves, with the sun and moon above. Origin : the manuscript is a product of the Old Believers, who broke away from the Russian State Church in the seventeenth century in reaction to reforms which were intended to make the practice of the church conform more closely to that of the Greek Church. During the following centuries they faced continuing persecution, including lack of access to printing presses which forced them to continue the practice of copying manuscripts. Despite their original conservatism they were open to contemporary developments and their manuscript art shows the influence of Western-style printed books and posters. There are no positive indications of date. The paper without watermarks, the style of the colour-wash pictures, and the contents of the book all indicate an origin in the 18th century. Text : the main text is a compilation of biblical and apocryphal material concerning the events of Holy Week and containing stories about e.g. Lazarus, Judas and Pilate as well as Jesus. The narrative is followed here by a report of the opinions of various Doctors of the Church and an “Acathist Strasty Christovy”, containing a “Kanon Strasty Christovy” and finishing with a “Molitva Strasty Christovy”, that is, the narrative is intended to be used in a service for which liturgical elements are also provided. The narrative begins with the raising of Lazarus, who transmits to Jesus the lament of the patriarchs in hell; Jesus rides into Jerusalem hailed as a King and scourges the Temple, arousing the emnity of the High Priests Annas and Caiphas. Meanwhile John the Baptist has entered hell and preached about Jesus to the patriarchs and prophets there. The Last Supper and Foot-washing are narrated, followed by Judas' agreement to betray Jesus; after the vigil on the Mount of Olives, Judas brings soldiers to arrest Jesus. The Trial and Crucifixion follow, then the arrangements to bury Jesus. Jesus descends to hell, bi