AN EXAMINATION OF THE ARTISTIC DECORATION OF THE PORTRAITS OF THE EVANGELISTS AND THEIR TITLE PAGES IN THE MATENADARAN MANUSCRIPT NO 7639

Abstract

Among the numerous manuscripts preserved in the Matenadaran collection and created in the Armenian center of New Julfa, manuscript N^o 7639 occupies a special place. It stands out due to its approximately sixty miniatures, which are stylistically and thematically closely connected with the text of the Gospels. The manuscript was created in 1610 and is attributed to the well-known miniaturist Hakob Jughayets‘i. This study reviews nine manuscripts ascribed to this master, while also clarifying specific information concerning their identification and present location.

Particular attention is paid to the artistic analysis of the evangelists’ portraits and their title pages. Each Gospel in the manuscript begins with a miniature depicting the evangelist at the moment of divine inspiration. The compositional solutions reflect a synthesis of traditional and innovative elements, revealing both iconographic conventions and the artist’s individual style.

The title pages serve not only a decorative but also a memorial function, preserving information about the patron and his family. The study demonstrates that the decoration of manuscript N^o 7639 reflects the rich artistic tradition of 17th-century Armenian miniature painting and deserves to be considered an important source for the study of late medieval book art. Special attention is also given to the scenes of divine inspiration and their symbolic meaning in 17th-century Armenian book culture, confirming the significance of this manuscript for the study of New Julfa art and Armenian miniature in general.