# Asburnham Pentateuch [View the canonical artwork record]() ## Artwork - Artist: [MINIATURIST, Byzantine]() - Date: 0651-0700 - Technique: Manuscript \(Ms. nouv.acq. lat. 2334\), 371 x 321 mm ## Commentary Asburnham Pentateuch 7th century Manuscript \(Ms. nouv.acq. lat. 2334\), 371 x 321 mm Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris This codex, which has its name from a 19th-century English owner, is the only one dating from the 7th century, to be written not in Greek but in Latin, and to include an extensive Old Testament cycle of pictures. It contains the Pentateuch \(the first five books of the Old Testament\). Regarding its origin, it has been ascribed to the Syrian-Palestinian region, or to that part of North Africa where Carthage once stood; but Spain, Italy and Dalmatia have also been proposed. A considerable part of the codex is missing. It has now 19 mostly full-page miniatures from the original 68. The miniatures show a striking lack of three-dimensionality, the seemingly unique visual world exhibits certain affinities with Jewish culture. Folio 9 recto shows a full-page illustration of the Flood. The details of this colourful picture exhibit a number of curious features. Thus Noah's Ark, in red, rose and blue stripes on a blue ground, looks more like an enamel box than a ship defying the threatening waves; and even its rounded shape recalls a chest standing sturdily on its feet more than anything else. On the other hand, the masses of water have a naturalistic dark green brooding quality, and in the waters the naked bodies of drowned people are tossed about alongside horses \(these latter rendered on a far smaller scale than the human figures\). This may reflect a Jewish written tradition according to which mankind before the Flood consisted of giants of such strength that the waters alone could not have overpowered them. In comparison with other early Christian images of the Flood, this miniature is quite unique in terms of form and content alike. ## Related artworks - [Asburnham Pentateuch]() - [Asburnham Pentateuch]() - [Asburnham Pentateuch]() - [Asburnham Pentateuch]() - [Asburnham Pentateuch]() - [Garima Gospels]() - [Garima Gospels]() - [Garima Gospels]() - [Rabbula Codex \(Rabbula Gospels\)]() - [Rabbula Codex \(Rabbula Gospels\)]() - [Rabbula Codex \(Rabbula Gospels\)]() - [Vienna Dioscorides]() ## Attribution [Web Gallery of Art]()