The Glajor Gospel [Gladzor Gospel] is a beautiful example of Armenian iconography. Written and illustrated at the Glajor monastery, which was most likely situated in the Elegec valley, during the first decade of the fourteenth century, it presents the principle events of the New Testament in graphic form. The Glajor Codex with its extraordinary wealth of iconography and matchless state of preservation has been ranked as the most important manuscript from Greater Armenia in the Western Hemisphere.

It is part of the last flowering of artistic culture in independent pre-modern Armenia. In addition, three principle themes have been recognized in this distinctive iconography: the defence of Armenian Christology, the preservation of Armenian traditions in liturgy, and the definition of the nature of the church. These themes were underscored by the various artists who worked on these illuminations, at least five of whom have been identified by their distinctive styles. While these themes are its most renowned features, what the manuscript is best known for, we have described here only those illuminations which depict specific medical conditions. Of course, many other non-medical illustrations are also to be found in this unique artistic achievement.

Title: [Christ's Cure of an epileptic boy]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Epilepsy Boys Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325 Content Description: One image on bottom half of folio, Christ, nimbed, wears robes and is seated l., against a panel of gold, addresses the father of the epileptic, pointing with two fingers of his r. hand towards the epileptic while holding a scroll on his lap with his l. hand. The father of the epileptic kneels at the r. and points both his index fingers towards his son (or Christ?). The boy, center, is shown contorted, his arms outstretched over his head which is turned up while he is bent over at the waist balanced on his r. leg as his l. leg protrudes back and bent at the knee. He wears loose white clothing with a chain around his waist, a reference to their inability to restrain him from throwing himself into fire and water (Matt. 17:15). The miniature is marred by a diagonal scratch and a fold. Image occupies bottom 1/3 of page. Adjacent text: The Gospel of Matthew, in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: "The Third Painter of the Glajor Gospels." Medium: Drawing on vellum: col. ; 24 x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.108 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 108 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 27, disc., p. 98.

Title: [Christ's Cure of the Blind in Jericho]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Blindness Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325 Content Description: One image occupying bottom half of folio: Christ and two disciples, nimbed, stand l. with Christ making blessing gesture towards two blind men seated r., with two fingers of his r. hand and holding a scroll in his l. The two blind men, bearded, with eyes tightly closed, each hold light-colored canes with both hands and each wears a purse slung over the r. shoulder and chest to their l. sides. The background distinguishes Christ's world with a panel of gold from the world of the blind men, a cityscape. Adjacent text: The Gospel of Matthew, in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: "The Fourth Painter of the Glajor Gospels." Medium: Drawing on vellum: col. ; 24 x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.124 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 124 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 30, disc., p. 101.

Title: [Christ's Cure of the Leper]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Lepers Skin Diseases Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325 Content Description: One image on bottom two-thirds of folio: The leper of Mark 1:40, r., thickly covered with small lesions and clad only in a loincloth, kneels before Christ, holding his r. hand up and his l. hand out, palm up. Four apostles, nimbed and wearing robes, stand witness behind Christ on l. Christ, also nimbed and wearing robes, reaches out with his r. hand and blesses the the leper, touching the supplicant's head with two fingers and holding a scroll in his l. hand. Gold panel(?) behind Christ and apostles on l., cityscape behind leper on r. Adjacent text: The Gospel of Mark, in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: "The Fourth Painter of the Glajor Gospels." Medium: Drawing on vellum: col. ; 24 x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.197 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 197 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 45, disc., p. 118.

 

Title: Christ's Cure of the Blind Man at Bethsaida]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Blindness Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325 Content Description: One image covering bottom one-third of folio: Against the backdrop of the village of Bethsaida, Christ, nimbed and wearing robes, is shown leading the blind man of Mark 8:27-34 with his l. hand by holding the man's r. hand and anointing his eyes with spittle on two fingers of this r. hand. The blind man wears a purse on a strap over his l. shoulder. Adjacent text: The Gospel of Mark, in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: T`oros Taronec`i. Medium: Drawing on vellum: col. ; 24x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.235 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 235 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 50, disc., p. 123.

 

Title: [Christ's Cure of Blind Bartimaeus]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Blindness Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325  Content Description: One image covering top half of folio is divided in half. Christ and Peter nimbed, stand l. against a background of gold over green. Against an ultramarine background, a young disciple r., holds his l. hand extended diagonally and with his r. hand takes the r. hand of the seated blind beggar Bartimaeus of Mark 10:46-53. Bartimaeus holds eyes tightly closes, and wears a purse over the l. shoulder, and a hat, which is falling off his head. Adjacent text: The Gospel of Mark in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: T`oros Taronec`i. Medium: Drawing on vellum : col. ; 24 x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.250 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 250 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 51, disc., p. 124

 

Title: [Christ's Cure of the Paralytic]. Subjects: Jesus Christ Paralysis Illustrations Armenia 1301-1325 Content Description: One full-page image: Christ nimbed and wearing robes, sits l. before three disciples nimbed (only their heads are seen). Two men, l. and r. wearing robes, crouch on opposing roofs of what appear to be two buildings facing each other. They each hold ropes in both hands by which they have lowered down the sick man. The paralytic lying on a rug-like bed supported by the two ropes before Christ in the center, gestures with both hands towards Christ, the l. hand held higher, perhaps indicating his atrophied lower legs. A dense crowd watches on the r., some of them painted in the ugly livid manner that T`oros Taronec`i [the artist] reserves for the adversaries of Christ. At far r. the paralytic, now cured, walks off with his bed over his back. Adjacent text: Gospels in Armenian, commisioned by abbot Esayi Ncû`ec`i. Notes: Attributed to: T`oros Taronec`i. Medium: Drawing on vellum : col. ; 24 x18 cm. Location: UCLA Special Collections Arm. MS. 1 p.336 Citation: Bible. N.T. Gospels. Armenian. Gladzori Avetaran. [Glajor Gospel]. [between 1300 and 1307] Arm. ms. 1 p. 336 Published in: Mathews & Sanjian. Armenian gospel iconography, repr. pl. 65, disc., p. 140

For a complete study of this remarkable work, see:
Mathews, Thomas F., and Sanjian, Avedis Krikor. Armenian gospel iconography :
the tradition of the Glajor Gospel. Washington, D.C. :
Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection, 1991.


UCLA Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library -
The manuscript is housed at: UCLA Special Collections as Armenian MS. 1.