(artist unknown, located at Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris) (781 to 783). Godescalc Evangelistary Book of Mark page with Mark the Evangelist [ink on vellum]. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.

I see a series of beautifully textured planes brought together to form a decorative work created simply for beauties’ sake. The title character exchanges a placid glance with the highly stylized lion-figure that represents himself. Frame and scene are tied together in a manner rarely seen in creations of any time period, alternating between pattern and texture, lending uniqueness to each plane. Where forms are not flattened, they tend to be foreshortened. Formal choices in color and value generate interest and contrast while seamlessly blending into the character of the textures. |

Striking the exact half-way point of the abstraction scale is at the least a great challenge. This illustration comes close. The objects and shapes that create the figures are nearly discrete forms on their own, but in the end they merge together just enough to tip the scale in favor of realism. Like the Woman and Maid lekythos, this is a work of pictorial beauty, in this case sharing the warm exchange between apostle and his symbol-figure. I would consider this an instinctual, thematic work of design.

Line-defined shapes, a pictorially-balanced complementary color scheme and beautifully intuitive texture bring this work together. An uncommon union of framework and scene is created with motifs growing into the background and repeating themselves in furniture decorations. The decorative sense of depth is created through texture-blended, overlapping forms.

The figure of Mark is value-developed to a degree not common to the early medieval time-period, which lends him heightened character and definition. Lines define his form and furniture, and their calligraphic nature are consistent with the framing motifs and this work’s global development. The artist has successfully sought unified balances through color warmth, an evenly-applied complementary color scheme, value range and a texture/decoration combination that takes advantage of the qualities of the page. The arrangement of forms and motion unbalance this work slightly to the left.

This work, as an example of the entire manuscript, takes its place the development of western two-dimensional achievement for two reasons. First, the Godescalc Evangelistary Book of Mark is credited with being one of the first works to initiate the age of western European illuminary expression that would develop for centuries. Second, evidence of naturalism and development of pictorial depth are clear. This is contradicted by stylistic traditions of the time, for example lingering fractional representation and heavy reliance on decoration, resulting in a work that is undeniably well-designed by in conflict with itself in more subtle ways.