Seite - 121 - in The Vienna Genesis - Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
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Rabitsch, Malissa, Hradil, Erlach, Uhlir, Griesser, Hofmann 121
ink and the losses in the text. One of the aims of this project was to gain more information
about the inks of the Vienna Genesis and therefore the possible causes of the deterior-
ation18. Whether the scribes used the same or different recipes to prepare silver ink should
be investigated. The inks and their application during writing were first examined vis-
ually on all folios. Characteristic measurement points were analysed with energy dispersive
micro X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy (µ-XRF) on the inks of all folios. Analysis with
X-ray diffraction (XRD and µ-XRD) were aimed to provide insight in the silver corrosion
phases. Micro-samples of silver ink from Vienna Genesis were investigated with energy
dispersive X-ray analysis in the scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDX). Reference inks
prepared for the project as well as other manuscripts held at the Austrian National Library
served as comparison.
Visual examination
The inks as well as traces of the writing process of the text were examined in incident and
raking light and under magnification with a stereo microscope19.
The text of the Vienna Genesis is written in Maiuscula biblica. Two scribes have been
identified, whose scripts correspond stylistically but can be clearly differentiated. The
first scribe, to whom the folios 1–12 (pages 1–24) are attributed20, had a more advanced
style and his handwriting shows characteristics of the scripture of the late 6th century. The
second scribe, to whom folios 13–24 (pages 24–48) are attributed21, had a more archaic style
(Fig. 1)22. The scribe changes from folio 12 to folio 13, which is unusual23, as those two folios
form a bifolio and the change occurs within a bifolio and a quire, see Fig. 14 in the chapter
on the parchment of the Vienna Genesis. Christian Gastgeber assumes in the commentary
to the new facsimile that both parts could be written by one scribe. Due to economic pres-
sure, the scribe might have had to hurry which influenced the script24.
18 Chapters on alteration study and conservation.
19 Wild stereo microscope M 400 (type 126269) at 6.3x–32x magnification.
20 Mazal, 1980, p. 41; personal communication, Prof. Otto Kresten, Academy of Science, 22 February
2017.
21 Mazal, 1980, p. 41; personal communication, Prof. Otto Kresten, Academy of Science, 22 February
2017.
22 Mazal, 1980, pp. 32–33.
23 Personal communication, Prof. Otto Kresten, Academy of Science, 22 February 2017.
24 Gastgeber et al., 2019, p. 40.
Open-Access-Publikation im Sinne der CC-Lizenz BY 4.0
The Vienna Genesis
Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Titel
- The Vienna Genesis
- Untertitel
- Material analysis and conservation of a Late Antique illuminated manuscript on purple parchment
- Herausgeber
- Christa Hofmann
- Verlag
- Böhlau Verlag
- Ort
- Wien
- Datum
- 2020
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- CC BY 4.0
- ISBN
- 978-3-205-21058-0
- Abmessungen
- 17.3 x 24.5 cm
- Seiten
- 348