Gospel Lectionary of Gero

Ottonian manuscript

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June 29, 2026

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The Gospel Lectionary of Gero is an Ottonian manuscript created around 960 CE in Germany. Ottonian art, flourishing between 950 and 1050, built upon the Carolingian tradition, reviving earlier Christian and Roman forms. This lectionary, a book of Gospel lessons, features illustrations directly copied from an earlier manuscript associated with Charlemagne's court school. Ottonian illuminators prioritized expressive, dramatic gestures and vibrant colors over strict naturalism, aiming for spiritual impact rather than realistic depiction. This period saw significant artistic patronage from royalty and the church, leading to a revival in arts like painting, sculpture, and manuscript illumination.12

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Western painting
Ottonian Germany
…the earliest Ottonian books, the Gospel Lectionary (a book of Gospel lessons for the church year) of Gero (c. 960), were copied line for line from a manuscript of Charlemagne’s Court school. The dominant figure in the late 10th century was an artist known as the Master of the Registrum…
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…the earliest Ottonian books, the Gospel Lectionary (a book of Gospel lessons for the church year) of Gero (c. 960), were copied line for line from a manuscript of Charlemagne’s Court school. The dominant figure in the late 10th century was an artist known as the Master of the Registrum…
Read More