Godescalc Evangelistary

The Godescalc Evangelistary, Godescalc Sacramentary, Godescalc Gospels, or Godescalc Gospel Lectionary (Paris, BNF. lat.1203) is an illuminated manuscript made by the Frankish scribe Godescalc and today kept in the Bibliothèque nationale de France. It was commissioned by the Carolingian king Charlemagne and his wife Hildegard on October 7, 781 and completed on April 30, 783. The Evangelistary is the earliest known manuscript produced at the scriptorium in Charlemagne's Court School in Aachen. The manuscript was intended to commemorate Charlemagne's march to Italy, his meeting with Pope Adrian I, and the baptism of his son Pepin. The crediting of the work to Godescalc and the details of Charlemagne's march are contained in the manuscript's dedication poem.

The manuscript, a product of the Carolingian Renaissance, is the earliest example of a Carolingian illumination style. This style was characterized by naturalist motifs in the decoration, and a fusion of Insular Anglo-Saxon/Irish, early Christian (late Classical) and Byzantine styles. The ornamental motifs on the opening page of each Gospel rely heavily on the interlaces of Hiberno-Saxon origin. The portraits of the Evangelists and Christ are based on Byzantine models, such as the mosaics of San Vitale at Ravenna. The artist used natural illusionistic techniques to create the appearance of volume in the characters, and used elaborate shadings in light and dark to give characters depth. The Carolingian illumination style was the earliest style to regularly utilize Caroline minuscule script, the precursor to our modern lower case letters. The Godescalc Evangelistary is illuminated in the same style as the Dagulf Psalter. Both manuscripts seem to belong in a group of works known as the “Ada School” or Court School of Charlemagne.

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