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Christ in Majesty
Lambach, Austria; third quarter of 12th century
10 7/8 x 7 5/16 in. (27.6 x 18.6 cm)
The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, W.33
The twelfth-century scriptoria in the area now called Austria often made use of a graphic aesthetic, particularly in the scores of monasteries that sprang up in the wake of widespread church and monastic reform. The decoration of this book was probably made by Gottschalk, one of the named draftsmen of the region. Like a number of drawn manuscripts from the area, this work makes use of a monochromatic figure set against a backdrop of blue and green panels, which suggests a shared aesthetic with twelfth-century metalwork from the Limoges and Mosan region. (See also the following image.)