Donald Jackson with contributions from

Chris Tomlin
Genesis frontispiece: Creation
Genesis 1:1–2:3

The Creation story unfolds within a framework

of counting. As each day passes, the writer
repeats his refrain: “And there was evening
and there was morning, the first [or second or
sixth] day.” The structure of this illumination
reflects the progression of days, with seven
vertical strips, one for each day, and small
golden squares arranged in sequences of
seven.
On the first day, fragmented shapes explode
from the primordial void, expressed by the
Hebrew words tohu wabohu (“chaos”). A
vertical gold line marks the crucial moment
when God said, “Let there be light.” Gold is
used throughout to symbolize God’s ordering
of the universe. The gold squares expand
outward and upward from day one until
reaching the serene Sabbath, the seventh
day.
Day three contains satellite pictures of the
Ganges Delta, suggesting the division of land
and water and the beginnings of vegetation.
The creation of human beings on the sixth
day is represented by images from aboriginal
rock paintings in Africa and Australia. The
snake implies dangers to come in the Garden
of Eden. The golden seventh day is given over
entirely to the contemplation of the spirit. The
raven flying across the composition is the
traditional carrier of God’s message to Saint
Benedict.
Donald Jackson with contributions from
Chris Tomlin
Adam and Eve
Genesis 2:4–25

Adam and Eve are presented as an African

man and woman surrounded by patterned
fabrics from various ancient cultures.
Photographs of Ethiopian tribespeople
influenced Jackson’s design. He wanted to
link the notion of the first man and woman
with current archaeological and
anthropological theories that humankind
originated in Africa. The decorative framing
around Adam and Eve includes African
tapestry patterns and, on the right, a
Peruvian feather cape. The horizontal
stripes are details of Middle Eastern textiles
and of white body painting on black skin.

The poisonous coral snake, also depicted in

the Creation and Garden of Eden
illuminations, appears between Adam and
Eve. It represents the serpent that tempts
Eve to disobey God. The gold bar framing
Adam and Eve is meant to suggest God’s
presence as a framework for human life.
Chris Tomlin, artist
Tiger swallowtail butterflies
Marginalia
Genesis 3–6

Donald Jackson, artist

Capital letters
Sue Hufton, scribe
Genesis 24–26
Donald Jackson in collaboration with Chris
Tomlin
Jacob’s Ladder
Genesis 28:10–17

This image evokes the surreal wonder of

Jacob’s dream about angels ascending and
descending a ladder that reached from
earth to heaven. In that moment when
heaven and earth were briefly joined, Jacob
realized his special relationship with God.
Accompanying the abstract gold angels are
fragments of realistic butterfly wings. They
echo the angels’ wings, becoming an
earthly analogy for angels and also a
metaphor for the fleeting nature of Jacob’s
vision. The butterflies appear against a lacy
pattern
of gold, a gossamer presence.

The quotation along the bottom, which can

be linked with words from the preceding
verse—“Surely God is in this place”—refers
to Jacob’s powerful and moving experience.
Donald Jackson, artist, with contributions
from Chris Tomlin
Jacob’s Dream
Marginalia
Genesis 32:24–29
Sally Mae Joseph, artist
Menorah pattern
Marginalia
Genesis 50

Donald Jackson, artist

Title treatment
Exodus
Thomas Ingmire
The Ten Commandments
Exodus 20:1–21

The theological brief from the Committee

on Illumination and Text required the artist
to combine five different passages from
Exodus into a single illumination. The brief
also suggested that the giving of the Ten
Commandments represented a new
creation—the gift of law bringing order to
the chaos of human affairs. This was
chosen as the principal image around
which to group the others.

Depicted along the top of the composition

are the burning bush, the first Passover,
the crossing of the Red Sea, and the twelve
pillars, representing the twelve tribes of
Israel, erected at the foot of Mount Sinai.
God’s words are arrayed across them in
gold letters. The lower half of the page
contains the Ten Commandments,
overlapping and dissolving the colored
background. Instead of writing the words,
the artist stenciled them, using the
typeface Stone Sans to emphasize the
authoritarian nature of God’s words.
Chris Tomlin, artist
Damselflies
Marginalia
Exodus 7

Donald Jackson, artist

Capital letters
Brian Simpson, scribe
Exodus 30–32
Donald Jackson, artist
Capital letters
Exodus 23–25
Sue Hufton, scribe
Leviticus 7–8

Donald Jackson, artist

Capital letters
Donald Jackson, artist
Title treatment
Leviticus
Sally Mae Joseph, artist
“You shall be holy”
Special treatment
Leviticus 19:2

“You shall not take vengeance”

Special treatment
Leviticus 19:18
Thomas Ingmire, artist
“Make a poisonous serpent”
Special treatment
Numbers 21:8
Donald Jackson, artist
Title treatment
Numbers
Suzanne Moore, artist
“The Lord bless you”
Special treatment
Numbers 6:24–26
Donald Jackson in collaboration with Aidan
Hart
and contributions from Sally Mae Joseph
The Death of Moses
Deuteronomy 34:1–12

God led Moses to the top of Mount Nebo,

from where he could see the Promised
Land. But Moses was not allowed to enter
the Promised Land because of a
momentary lack of trust in God. He died on
the mountain. Although another leader
fulfilled Moses’ mission and brought the
Chosen People into the Promised Land, the
role played by Moses was of tremendous
importance to the generations that
followed: “Never since has there arisen a
prophet in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord
knew face to face.”

Moses is shown with fragments of the

tablets of the Ten Commandments and a
prayer shawl patterned after a traditional
Middle Eastern design.
Suzanne Moore, artist
“Choose life”
Special treatment
Deuteronomy 30:19–20
Donald Jackson, artist
Title treatment
Deuteronomy
Hazel Dolby, artist
“Hear O Israel”
Special treatment
Deuteronomy 6:4–5
Donald Jackson
Frontispiece
Psalms

Only in the Psalms do all the illuminations

consist of abstract, nonillustrative designs.
In the Bible, the whole book of Psalms is
divided into five books, and this
frontispiece visually reflects that structure.
The five books are represented by five
overlapping book-shaped panels, each a
different combination of the same colors. A
gold roman numeral identifies each panel.
These panels reappear at the beginning of
each book in a progressive accumulation
corresponding to the numbers of the
books.

Superimposed on this image are digital

voice prints (electronic images of sound) of
sung chants, hinting at the way we might
“see” psalms if they are sung or read
poetically. The voice prints come from
recordings of the monks at Saint John’s
Abbey singing Gregorian chant; a Native
American sacred song; a Jewish men’s
chorus singing psalms; Buddhist tantric
harmonics; an Islamic call to prayer
(adhan); Taoist temple music; Hindu
bhajan; and Indian Sufi chant. The voice
prints of the Saint John’s monks appear on
every page, moving horizontally
throughout the Psalms in gold.
Sally Mae Joseph, artist and scribe
“Praise the Lord”
Special treatment, Psalm 150
Psalms 146–150
Donald Jackson, scribe
Psalms 100–103
Donald Jackson, artist and scribe
Book heading, Psalms, Book IV
Psalms 90–93
Donald Jackson, artist
Book heading
Psalms, Book II

Brian Simpson, scribe

Psalm 41

Sally Mae Joseph, scribe

Psalm 42
Donald Jackson, artist
Book heading
Psalms, Book III

Sally Mae Joseph, scribe

Psalm 72

Donald Jackson, scribe

Psalm 73
Donald Jackson, artist
Book heading
Psalms, Book V

Sally Mae Joseph, scribe

Psalms 107–109
Brian Simpson, scribe
Psalms 23–27
Donald Jackson
Matthew frontispiece: The Genealogy of
Christ
Matthew 1:1–17

The Gospel of Matthew begins with the

genealogy of Christ. Reaching back into the
Old Testament scriptures to Abraham,
progenitor of the Hebrew nation, Matthew
lists the names of succeeding generations,
culminating in the birth of Christ.
This illumination is a family tree structured as
both a tree of life and a menorah, the Jewish
seven-branched candlestick. Placed at the
beginning of the first gospel, the menorah
serves as a bridge between the Old and New
Testaments. A mandala-like cosmic image
near the base is common to several religions
and implies the universality of the search for
God. The intricate gold medallions above the
menorah were inspired by illuminations from
the Koran. Reflecting our own time, patterns
of DNA double helixes between the outer
branches emphasize the connectedness of all
humanity.
The ancestral names flank the base of the
menorah/tree and march up between the
innermost branches. Abraham’s name
appears in English and Hebrew, with that of
his wife, Sarah, from whom these generations
arose. Named in both Arabic and English is
Hagar, Sarah’s handmaiden, with whom
Abraham fathered Ishmael, the ancestor of
the prophet Muhammad, founder of Islam. At
the very top is the name of Jesus, in the same
lettering style as Abraham, David, Mary, and
Joseph.
Thomas Ingmire
Beatitudes
Matthew 5:1–11

The letters of the word “blessed” are

scattered randomly in a multicolored
pattern, here and there reuniting to form
the word. The overall effect recalls mosaic
decoration, a traditional artistic medium
dating to preclassical times in the Near
East. It was widely used in early Christian
churches for floors and narrative scenes.
Donald Jackson
Peter’s Confession
Matthew 16:13–23

This image illustrates a conversation in

which Christ asks his disciples who they
think he is, and Peter answers, “You are the
Messiah.” Jesus responds, “You are Peter,
and on this rock I will build my church, and
the gates of Hades will not prevail against
it.”
This event took place at Caesarea Philippi,
at the foot of Mount Hermon, and much of
the visual imagery derives from a historical
description of that spot.

The conversation would have taken place

in the midst of shrines to Greek and Syrian
gods. A large cave in the area was believed
to be an opening to the underworld.
(“Hades” refers to the pagan underworld.)
Christ is shown standing between a dark
world of death identified in Hebrew letters
as Sheol, the Hebrew underworld, and a
world of color and light. The cave’s chaotic
darkness spews forth images of Assyrian
gods (the eagle-beaked, winged horse) and
the AIDS virus. On Christ’s other side, rocks
bathed in heavenly light represent the
beginnings of structure and the formation
of the Church. A suggestion of a human
face (Peter’s) appears in the rocks.
Aidan Hart with contributions from Donald
Jackson and Sally Mae Joseph
The Parable of the Sower and the Seed
Mark 4:3–9

In this icon-like image, the sower’s halo,

with its cross, identifies him as Christ
sowing the word of God. His contemporary
Western work clothes indicate that this
image is a metaphor, in which the sacred
message is revealed through a mundane
action.

The four small hills along the bottom are

the four kinds of soil on which the seed
falls. The hard path, where the seed cannot
take root and is eaten by birds, signifies
the closed mind that refuses to hear God’s
word. The rocky ground, where the sprout
is short-lived, stands for shallow people
who accept the word of God but do not let
it take root in their inner being and fall
away when they are persecuted. The
thorny ground corresponds to people who
understand God’s word but let material
things choke their spiritual belief. The good
soil, where the wheat has taken root and
thrives, represents those who act upon the
word of God and share it with others.
One of the birds has “escaped” from the
illumination
to pick up a missing line. Its beak points to
where the line belongs.
Donald Jackson
The Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes
Mark 6:30–44, 8:1–10

Mark narrates twice the story of Christ

providing food for multitudes of people,
probably giving two versions of the same
event. This illumination accompanies the
first one, in which Christ miraculously
multiplied five loaves and two fishes to
feed five thousand people, with twelve
baskets of leftovers. Tradition locates this
event at Tabgha, on the west side of the
Sea of Galilee.

The illumination focuses on the abundant

proliferation of food for the body, which
foreshadows the Eucharistic gifts of food
for the soul. The circular loaves, marked
with a cross, prefigure the bread of the
Eucharist (Communion). The stamped
images of fish derive from a mosaic in
Tabgha. The baskets (shown partially) have
geometric designs based on ancient Native
American Anasazi basketry, acknowledging
the American origin of this Bible and the
coexistence of other beliefs. The baskets
symbolize the multiplying effect of any act
of love, such as sharing. Hence, the design
spreads out toward all the margins,
interrupted only by unkind acts (dark bars)
and instances in which we could have
acted with love and kindness but did not
(white spaces).
Hazel Dolby, artist
“Hear O Israel”
Special treatment
Mark 12:29–31
Donald Jackson
Dinner at the Pharisee’s House
Luke 7:36–50

The Pharisees (“separate ones”) were a

priestly class known for defending the
Jewish religion against pagans and rigidly
upholding Jewish traditions. From the
beginning of Christ’s ministry, the
Pharisees bitterly opposed him.
Nevertheless, Jesus was invited to dinner at
the house of Simon, a Pharisee, along with
Simon’s establishment friends. Upsetting
their sense of decorum, a sinful woman
arrived uninvited and began anointing
Christ’s feet and kissing them, bathing
them with her tears and drying them with
her hair. This woman exemplifies one who
loves greatly, while Simon loves little.

The strong color dividing the illumination

represents the chasm between the world of
the sinful woman and that of the Pharisees.
She is pictured with dyed pink and green
hair to emphasize her unconventionality
rather than her sinfulness. Her behavior
has upset the table of tradition, shifting the
emphasis to pure love. “You gave me no
kiss”—Christ’s reproach to Simon
for neglecting the customs of hospitality—
highlights
her love.
Chris Tomlin
Monarch Butterflies

In Christian art the butterfly symbolizes

resurrection. The three stages of its life—
caterpillar, chrysalis, and butterfly—
correspond to life, death, and resurrection.
These monarch butterflies represent God’s
creation and help root this Bible in the
community of Saint John’s Abbey and
University in Minnesota.

The margins of medieval Bibles were often

decorated with plants and animals that had
symbolic meanings. In The Saint John’s
Bible, all the species of flora and fauna
depicted in the margins are native to the
Minnesota woods surrounding Saint John’s
University or to the Welsh countryside near
Donald Jackson’s home. Chris Tomlin, a
specialist in botanical and nature
illustration, came to Minnesota to research
subjects for marginalia.

The blank vellum page stands in for the

first page of the Book of Luke.
Donald Jackson
Luke frontispiece: The Birth of Christ
Luke 2:1–20

Gold is used throughout The Saint John’s

Bible to indicate the divine. Here a brilliant
shaft of light, executed in gold leaf, rises
from the child’s crib, making the Christ
Child the focal point of this scene, although
he is not pictured. His mother, Mary, gazes
tenderly on the infant. The shepherds are
women and girls, which was probably the
case at the time of Christ. Between the
viewer and the unseen infant, the animals
form a protective barrier. The ox is
modeled on one of the Neolithic cave
paintings of great aurochs at Lascaux,
France. In the well-known imagery of the
Nativity, we see the coexistence of earthly
animal energy and spiritual energy,
represented by the angels and the
powerful light of God.

The upper text is the angels’ song; the

central text refers to this child’s role as
“light to those who sit in darkness”; and
the lower text anchors the entire
illumination in a metaphor of divine light.

Sally Mae Joseph, artist

Magnificat
Special treatment
Luke 1:46–49
Donald Jackson with contributions from
Sally Mae Joseph and Aidan Hart
The Luke Anthology

Five parables and one story unique to the

Gospel of Luke are illustrated in diagonal
bands that read in descending order from
left to right. The three “parables of the
lost” are about God seeking and finding
lost sinners. The image of Christ at the top
right figures in all the scenes.
Parable of the Lost Coin (15:8–10):
Scattered coins represent the boundless joy
of a woman who has turned her house upside
down to find her lost coin.
Parable of the Lost Sheep (15:4–7): A
bedraggled sheep, alone in the dark, looks
toward the golden light streaming from Christ
and his angels, which promises rescue and
return to the fold.
Parable of the Good Samaritan (10:29–
37): Quotations from the text spell out the
triumph of love over sectarianism and over
adherence to doctrine at the expense of
compassion.
Parable of the Lost Son (15:11–32): The
erring son leaves the pigs he has tended and
returns to his father, who runs to meet him
and forgive him. The twin towers of the World
Trade Center point to the need for forgiveness
in our time and for seeking alternatives to
revenge.
Parable of Dives and Lazarus (16:19–31):
Dives (“wealthy one”) feasted while Lazarus
begged at his door. The scene shows them
after death, separated by a chasm: Lazarus,
carried by angels, rests with Abraham, while
Dives suffers the fiery torments of hell.
Martha and Mary (10:38–42): The sisters
look toward Jesus, who approved Mary’s
listening to his teaching and rebuked Martha’s
unneeded acts of hospitality.
Donald Jackson
The Crucifixion
Luke 23:44–49

Rendered in raised and burnished gold, the

crucified figure of Christ dominates this
composition. The use of gold conveys the
idea of God manifesting himself in his
divine love for humanity, represented by
the crowd below. Luke’s gospel recounts
that darkness covered the earth for three
hours, indicated here by the night sky, and
that the curtain of the temple, shown as
shreds of purple, was torn in two. The
contrast of pain with the glory of gold
relates this image to current theological
discussions concerning the meaning of the
Crucifixion in the contemporary world.

The delicate gray border was printed with

English lace, contributing to the recurring
theme of textiles in The Saint John’s Bible
illuminations.
Donald Jackson, artist
Capital letter
Luke 12
Thomas Ingmire
The “I Am” Sayings
John

The “I am” statements in John’s gospel are

direct references to Exodus 3:14: “God said
to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’” And further,
“Thus shall you say to the Israelites, ‘I am
has sent me to you.’” In Hebrew,
“I am who I am” is the unutterable name of
God.

YHWH (pronounced Yahweh), the proper

name for God in the Old Testament,
appears at the base of the page.
Traditionally the name was not spoken or
written out in full, out of reverence for its
holiness. Hence the powerful, abstract
rendering here, from which spring five
columns incorporating five sayings, from left
to right:

I am the bread of life (John 6:35)

I am the gate for the sheep (John 10:7)
I am the way, and the truth, and the life
(John 14:6)
I am the light of the world (John 8:12)
I am the true vine (John 15:1)
Donald Jackson
John frontispiece: The Word Made Flesh
John 1:1–14

Stepping out of darkness, which alludes to

the chaos and nothingness in the Creation
story, the golden figure of Christ, the Living
Word, brings light and order. Words in
golden script, from Colossians (1:15–20),
link the figure of Christ with the words “And
lived among us” at the upper right:

He is the image of the invisible God, the

firstborn of all creation: for in him all things
in heaven and on earth were created,
things visible and invisible, whether
thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—
all things have been created through him
and for him. He himself is before all things,
and in him all things hold together.

A keyhole jutting into the left margin recalls

the tradition of locked and hinged
manuscripts in securing, protecting, and
holding the “key” to the Word of God.
Aidan Hart with contributions from Donald
Jackson and Sally Mae Joseph
The Woman Taken in Adultery
John 7:53–8:11

Attempting to trick Jesus and find charges to

bring against him, temple officials brought a
woman caught in adultery to him for
judgment. They reminded him that according
to the law of Moses an adulteress should be
stoned to death. After writing some words on
the ground, Jesus stood up and said, “Let
anyone among you who is without sin be the
first to throw a stone at her.” Then one by one
they went away.
This illumination is done in the stylized
manner of icons—images of holy persons
traditional to Orthodox Christianity. The first
panel shows Jesus absorbed in writing on the
ground, distancing himself from the accusers’
agitation. The man with the Hebrew word for
adultery in his outstretched arm is literally
using the letter of the law as a weapon. By
holding it outside the border, he hints that we
are all complicit in the condemnation.
In the second scene, Jesus is alone with the
woman after the others have drifted away.
The pile of stones at her feet signifies that
she was not condemned. In this face-to-face
encounter, Jesus forgives her, raising his hand
in blessing, and instructs her to sin no more.
Here, we can identify with the woman instead
of with her accusers.
Donald Jackson
The Raising of Lazarus
John 11:1–57

The raising of Lazarus from the dead was

one of the greatest miracles of Christ’s
ministry. It foreshadowed his own
resurrection and was also the act that
caused him to journey to Jerusalem and his
own death.

This scene contrasts the powers of

darkness and the powers of light. Black and
gold dominate: black signifying death;
gold, God’s presence. The tunnel of white
light recalls descriptions of near death
experiences. The light comes toward
Lazarus, and the tiny figure of Christ
standing at the tunnel’s entrance invites
him to return to the world. His backward-
leaning pose suggests the reluctance to
return felt by many who have had a near
death experience. Superimposed on the
image, “I am the resurrection and the life”
clearly establishes Jesus’ power and
authority over life and asserts his divinity.
Aidan Hart in collaboration with Donald
Jackson
Life in Community
Acts 4:32–35

This image portrays the fellowship and

unity of Christians. Forming a semicircle
with the Virgin Mary at the center,
symbolizing the Church, people of many
nationalities are gathered around a
common table, with the Holy Scriptures
and the Eucharist, elements of Christianity
that unite them. In the background, a small
chapel on the grounds of Saint John’s
Abbey (left) and the Abbey Church (right)
indicate the physical nature of the church
community: people must be physically
present together in order to become a true
“church” or assembly. Encircling this scene,
the words from Acts describe an ideal
Christian community, when in fact the early
church was disorganized and
argumentative.

The figures of the Virgin Mary, Christ, and

the angels resemble traditional
representations used in Greek and Russian
Orthodox icons.
Donald Jackson with contributions from
Andrew Jamieson and Sally Mae Joseph
To the Ends of the Earth
Acts 28

The image of the earth in a dynamic

cosmos illustrates the words in which
Christ foretold the eventual spread of his
teachings: “to the ends of the earth.” This
view from space, with the African continent
clearly defined, is based on a picture from
outer space. The comet will remind viewers
of the Hale-Bopp comet, which was visible
in the summer of 1997. Showing the earth
in ever-expanding space, together with
linear geometric patterns, suggests both
continuing evolution and ordered stability.
The many crosses indicate the continual
expansion of Christianity in the world.

Most of The Saint John’s Bible illuminations

have a full palette of colors, but this one is
simplified. The principal colors are a rich
ultramarine blue and a brownish tan, used
in differing values to create depth and
variety.
Donald Jackson in collaboration with Aidan
Hart and with contributions from Andrew
Jamieson
The Life of Paul
Acts

Although Paul was not among the original

twelve followers of Jesus, God designated him
the apostle to the Gentiles, and he traveled
as a missionary throughout the Near East. He
is posed here in the manner of classical Greek
statues. A prayer shawl draped over his
shoulders indicates his upbringing as a
devout Jew. Surrounding him are secular and
sacred buildings from nearly every historical
period of the last two thousand years,
symbolizing the continuation in North America
of Christian missionary efforts. The Stella
Maris Chapel at Saint John’s Abbey (upper
right) signifies the Benedictines’ missionary
work in Minnesota.
Because he made several sea voyages and
was once shipwrecked, Paul stands before a
Greco-Roman sailing vessel. An energetic
church builder, he holds a model of a church.
It recalls Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the
city where he was martyred under the
emperor Nero. The words at the top, “I saw a
light from heaven” (26:13), refer to Paul’s
conversion. Those across the bottom proclaim
his divine mission: “The Lord has commanded
us, saying, ‘I have set you to be a light for the
Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to
the ends of the earth’” (13:47).
Donald Jackson
Acts frontispiece: Pentecost
Acts 2:1–39

Jews “from every nation under heaven” are

gathering in Jerusalem for the great Jewish
pilgrimage feast of Pentecost, which occurs
fifty days after Passover. A gold column of
fire and smoke rises in the center, with the
moon on the left and the sun on the right.
Streaks of flame from the heavens dart
about, pelting the earth—an allusion to the
“tongues, as of fire” that appeared to the
apostles, as described in Acts 2:3. Much of
the imagery comes from the Old Testament
prophecy of Joel, which the apostle Peter
quotes in this passage of Acts. He
describes the Day of Judgment, which will
bring blood, fire, smoky mists, and
heavenly portents. Yet there is hope for
those who repent and are baptized. At the
lower right, the keys of Peter symbolize the
union of the Church in heaven with the
Church on earth. Middle Eastern buildings
in the background represent the past.

This illumination contains many local

associations. Emerging from the wall of
Jerusalem is Saint John’s Abbey Church.
The cross in its bell banner appears at the
top of the golden column. The crowd in
modern dress in the foreground was based
on a picture of spectators at a Saint John’s
football game.
Chris Tomlin, artist
Peacock butterfly
Marginalia
Acts 20

This is the only Welsh insect in The Saint

John’s Bible.
Double carpet page from the Koran
(Qur’an),
circa 1780
Colored inks and gold on paper
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University

These verses are from the sura called

Maryam (Mary). Various biblical figures
appear in the Koran, including Moses,
David, John the Baptist, Jesus, and the
Virgin Mary.
Alphonse Legros
British (born France), 1837–1911
Image of Life in a Monastery, 19th
century
Etching
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University

In monasteries, where religious services

take place several times a day, books have
always been a constant necessity, to
supply both texts and music. The chanting
of hymns dates back to the beginning
of Christian services. Large books of music,
called antiphonals, were set on high
lecterns to be read at a distance by several
choristers. Here, a procession is taking
place in a medieval monastic church, while
in an alcove an elderly cellist and a small
choir are about to provide the music.
Anonymous, Spain
Processional (Dominican rite), 1541
Colored inks and pigments on vellum
Black leather binding over boards
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University

The Book of Psalms evokes a long tradition

of musical manuscripts. The square notes
of this medieval processional find a
contemporary echo in the gold squares and
meandering lines that dance across each
page of the Psalms in The Saint John’s
Bible.
A processional contains hymns (text and
music) for
an ecclesiastical procession.
Psalterium Benedictinium cum Canticus et
Hymnis
Psalter (Latin Vulgate Version)
Published by Johann Fust and Peter
Schöffer in Mainz, Germany, 1459
Printed on vellum
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University

The Mainz Psalter was the first book

commissioned by a Benedictine monastery
and only the third book published with
movable type. It was produced by the
partnership of Johann Fust (died 1466), a
farsighted financier, and Peter Schöffer
(1425?–1502?),
an ingenious printer who had worked with
Gutenberg on the first printed Bible. This
page comes from the subsequent 1459
edition of the Mainz Psalter. Although
printing was still a new technology, the
Benedictines in Mainz quickly saw its
potential for liturgical books. They had
their psalters printed on vellum, much
more durable than paper for daily use.

The text of a psalter is the Book of Psalms

in the
Old Testament. Most of the psalms were
probably composed to accompany acts of
worship in the Hebrew temple. Members of
the Benedictine orders recite psalms daily
as part of the Divine Office, certain prayers
recited at fixed hours of the day or night.
Bible (Latin Vulgate Version)
Published by Johann Froben in Basel,
Switzerland, 1491
Stamped binding with clasps and
metalwork,
dated 1536
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University

This is one of the first Bibles printed in the

small,
easily portable octavo format. It was
probably intended for private devotions.
The text is Saint Jerome’s
4th-century Latin version, known as the
Vulgate.
Every chapter begins with a prologue by
Saint Jerome, whose interpretations of the
sacred scriptures retained their authority
through the centuries.
Novum Testamentum omne multo quàm
antehac diligentius ab Erasmus Roterodamo
recognitu[m], . . .
New Testament in Greek, edited by
Desiderius Erasmus
Published by Johann Froben in Basel,
Switzerland,
2nd edition, 1519
Woodcut decorative borders by Urs Graf
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint John’s
University
This is the opening page of the Epistle to the
Romans in the revised second edition of the
first printed Greek New Testament. The text is
given in Greek and Latin in parallel columns.
The Greek text was edited by Desiderius
Erasmus of Rotterdam (1466?–1536), one of
the most notable humanistic scholars of his
generation, who also provided the Latin
translation. “Catchwords” at the bottom right
of each column give the initial word of the
corresponding column on the next page. Urs
Graf (1485–1527/28) produced the border
design using his innovative “white-line”
woodcut process. Since the design is
conveyed by white lines against a black
background, it appears as a negative image.
Although incongruous in this biblical context,
winged babies (called putti or amorini)
engaged in playful antics are common in
16th-century ornamental prints. They make
effective foils to the perfectly proportioned
block initials. The other decorative elements,
known as grotesques, are fantastic
combinations of vegetal, animal, and human
forms. Grotesques were a new and very
popular style in 16th-century prints and were
derived from 1st-century wall paintings
discovered in an imperial palace, the Domus
Aurea, excavated in Rome in 1480.
 Books of Hours

A Book of Hours is a small prayer book

meant for personal use and easily portable.
It contains prayers, psalms, a calendar of
saints days, and readings for designated
hours of every day. Scribes and illuminators
produced Books of Hours in Paris and
several cities in northern France and
Flanders in the 14th to 16th centuries.
These were the first books ever to become
immensely popular. In the Middle Ages,
they were the most accessible books by far
because they were the most affordable.
While some were made to order and
therefore costly, booksellers offered
moderately priced, ready-made books and
also secondhand copies. A Book of Hours
might be the only book a household
possessed and was often the means by
which people learned to read.

To meet the demand, scribes and

illuminators produced Books of Hours in
great numbers, and even the most modest
were beautifully and fancifully decorated.
The illuminators drew upon a standard
repertoire of biblical subjects and events in
the life of Christ and the Virgin Mary. In the
borders, they often depicted realistic
plants, animals, and insects, each
conveying a religious meaning.
Anonymous, Northern France
Book of Hours (Nativity), mid-15th
century
Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum
Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Saint
John’s University
Anonymous, France
Book of Hours (Crucifixion), mid-15th
century
Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum
Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, Saint
John’s University
Anonymous, France (Rouen)
Book of Hours (Saint John the
Evangelist), late 15th century
Gouache, ink, and gilding on vellum
Kacmarcik Collection of Arca Artium, Saint
John’s University
Full-size computer printout used by Donald
Jackson as his exemplar to copy in script.
This selection of tools and materials used
by the scribes and illuminators includes
hand-carved stamps, antique inks and
powdered pigments, a mortar and pestle,
quills and brushes, penknives, packets of
gold leaf squares, a gilder’s cushion and
gilder’s knife, burnishers, practice samples
of vellum, and an antique drafting set.
 From Sketch to Illumination

The Committee on Illumination and Text

(CIT) at
Saint John’s University selects the
passages to be illuminated in each volume
of The Saint John’s Bible. The CIT sends
Donald Jackson a set of briefs discussing
the proposed illuminations and the
theological content the committee feels
each illumination should express.

As the initial sketches are developed,

Jackson and project coordinator Rebecca
Cherry send digital images and
explanations to the CIT by e-mail. The
committee members review the sketches
for theological content and send back their
observations. When the CIT formally
approves a sketch, Jackson proceeds with
the illumination.

The completed illuminations are displayed in

this gallery.
 Preliminary Sketches

These preliminary and final sketches for

several of
the illuminations in The Saint John’s Bible
reveal something of Donald Jackson’s
working method.
He begins with a large brush, feeling his
way into the composition by loosely
blocking in areas of light and dark. He uses
inexpensive gold paint to represent gold
leaf. A sketch quickly becomes a collage as
Jackson cuts and pastes and tapes,
adjusting the elements of the design.
Illuminations are approved by the
Committee on Illumination and Text while
still in a rough stage, allowing the artist
some freedom and freshness in executing
the final work.
 Quill Curing

The scribes require quills that are both

strong and supple. The best ones come
from mature turkeys, swans, and geese.
Before they can be used for writing, the
quills must be cured, cut, and trimmed.

Curing is a hardening process. The studio

assistant begins by removing the ends with
a quill knife and leaving the quills to soak
for twenty-four hours. The next day she
takes out the internal membrane and pours
warm sand (which she has heated in a
frying pan) over each quill while rotating it.
When the barrel (shaft) of the quill turns
from milky to clear, the sand is removed,
and the hardened quills are stored in a jar.

Next, the long barbs on one side of the quill

are stripped away. A series of three
scooping cuts with a quill knife, a slit, and a
final trim to the point quickly turn the quill
into a responsive writing tool. Now the quill
is ready for writing.
 Vellum Preparation

The skins come from a vellum factory,

where they have been prepared to a
certain extent. But the studio assistant
must do the final preparation to ensure a
perfect writing surface, a job referred to at
the scriptorium as “scrutching.” The skins
are rubbed down with abrasives to achieve
the right texture.

First, the skin is placed on a smooth table

and rubbed with relatively coarse
sandpaper to raise the nap and to work in
and flatten the veins, evening the surface.
An infinitesimally fine layer of the skin is
rasped off. The next step is the addition of
gum sandarac, a resin that has been
ground with a mortar and pestle and put in
a fine-weave linen bag. Dusting the skin
with the bag sifts the gum sandarac evenly
across the surface. Then, using a finer
grade of sandpaper and a circular motion,
the assistant rubs down the skin again,
stopping often to check the result. As the
work proceeds, she rubs ever more gently,
until the finish becomes soft and velvety.
 Graphics Layout

On a computer, Vin Godier, the project’s

graphic designer/typesetter, devises the
precise layout of every page. This allows
the scribes to work simultaneously, since
they know in advance exactly how each
page will begin and end. Using a typeface
that closely approximates the script
Jackson designed for the Bible, Godier
determines the space for each letter. He
begins with raw digital text of the New
Revised Standard Version. All editions of
the NRSV, including this manuscript
edition, must follow prescribed guidelines.
Paragraphing and spacing between
paragraphs are integral parts of the
translation. A special dictionary establishes
acceptable word breaks. Godier’s printouts
are used by the scribes, illuminators, and
proofreaders.
 Ruling Up

When a page of vellum has been prepared,

pencil lines are ruled on it for the scribes to
follow. A dummy page shows where space
should be left for illuminations and how
many lines are needed. A line guide placed
on the side of the drawing table, with
marks for each text and note line, ensures
uniform ruling on all the pages. To mark the
column widths, a ruling guide is centered
on the page, and holes the correct distance
apart are pricked at the bottom and the
top. Vertical pencil lines are then drawn
along a metal ruler laid between the holes.
A sample folio with pencil lines and a
partially written column of calligraphy is on
view.
 Tracking the Project’s Progress

At the scriptorium in Wales, many

colleagues work simultaneously at various
tasks. The Studio Journal is a daily record of
the stages of production and of the hours
each person spends on a specific task.

The Pages Out of Studio Journal is a record

of pages consigned to scribes working
outside the scriptorium and of the dates
when completed pages are returned. Also
noted are the time spent on each page and
the payment to the scribe.

Progress is plotted visually on a linear

mock-up posted on the wall. When an
illumination is completed, a digital image
of it is added. When a page has been
written out by a scribe, a red line is drawn
through it.

The status of the entire project is plotted

on a production schedule in the form of a
chart. It includes completion dates for
various aspects of the work and the
planned delivery dates for each volume.
 Gilding

In every illumination, gold is the first

design element placed on the page. Three
types of gilding are used in The Saint John’s
Bible: powder gold, acrylic medium, and
gesso.

Gesso gilding is the most technically

demanding and produces the most
spectacular result. Gesso usually consists
of plaster, white lead, sugar, fish glue, and
a bit of powdered color. It is prepared in
advance and kept as small dried cakes until
needed. The gilder wets the gesso with
water and glair, a liquid drained from
beaten egg whites. The rather thick gesso
is laid on with a quill or a brush. When dry,
it is scraped and smoothed with a sharp
knife. Then it is covered with gold leaf—
incredibly thin sheets of 24-karat gold.

On a suede gilder’s cushion, the gold leaf is

cut into small pieces, which the gilder
applies one at a time with her finger (the
skin’s natural oil attracts the gold leaf).
Moisture from the illuminator’s breath,
delivered gently through a bamboo tube,
activates the glue in the gesso. When the
application is complete, the gold is covered
with a silk cloth and burnished. The slightly
raised contours typical of gesso gilding
reflect light, enhancing the gold’s effect.
 Binding

The seven volumes of The Saint John’s

Bible will each be bound between boards of
Welsh oak with a goatskin spine and a
stainless steel clasp. This model shows how
the actual binding will be constructed.

First the vellum sheets must be trimmed to

a uniform size and folded in half. These
folios are then stacked one inside the other
in groups of three, called gatherings, each
comprising twelve pages. It is important
that hair sides touch only hair sides, and
flesh sides touch flesh sides. The
gatherings are each stitched through the
fold and then assembled in the correct
order. They are attached to the boards by
means of leather bands.

The large size of The Saint John’s Bible

required boards from a straight-growing
oak (not grown on a hillside) about two
hundred years old. A 180-year-old tree that
blew down in a storm on the Powis Castle
estate in Wales provided the wood. The oak
boards are quartersawn (the grain runs
opposite to the cut), making them less
likely to warp.
Meir ben Moshe
Book of Esther, early 1990s
Ink on parchment scroll with carved olive
wood nartick (scroll case)
Collection of Albert Feldmann

The scribe Meir ben Moshe transcribed the

book of Esther, which forms the basis for
the Jewish celebration of Purim. During the
celebration, the text is read aloud twice. In
this contemporary scroll, ben Moshe begins
each column with the phrase hamelekh or
“the king” and repeat s the visual motif of
a royal crown above the phrase. Based on
the text from the book of Esther, this
format underscores ben Moshe’s skill as a
calligrapher as he changes the width of
each letter and the spacing between words
to fit
his formal organization.
Unknown scribe
Torah scroll, circa mid-1830s
Ink on parchment
Courtesy of Temple Beth El, Tacoma,
Washington

This passage of the Torah is the Song of the

Sea (Exodus 15) and is the song that the
Israelites sang after escaping from Egypt
and crossing the Sea of Reeds. The chapter
is traditionally written to give the
appearance of a brick wall representing the
two walls of the sea through which the
Israelites passed. The Song of the Sea is
only one of two passages in the Torah to be
written in a format other than columns.

Temple Beth El graciously shared this Torah

scroll for exhibition because it has been
designated as non-active and currently not
used for worship.
 The Koran

The Koran (Qur’an) is the sacred text of Islam.

Muslims believe that God (Allah) revealed it to
the prophet Muhammad, through the angel
Gabriel, between A.D. 610, when Allah called
Muhammad to be his messenger, and 632,
the year Muhammad died. The Koran (the
word means “recitation”) consists of 114
suras, or chapters, about what to believe and
how to live a moral life in submission to the
will of Allah.
The Koran passed from oral tradition to its
written form in just over a decade after
Muhammad’s death. The language of the
Koran is Arabic. The Prophet’s followers
recorded his revelations on whatever material
was at hand, including dried leaves, animal
bones, and stones. These fragments were
compiled into a single, authoritative written
text under the fourth leader of Islam, Caliph
Uthman, and no additions or deletions have
ever been permitted.
Because it was through writing that the divine
revelations to Muhammad were passed down,
calligraphy has always been considered the
highest form of Islamic artistic expression.
The ornamental Kufic script is often used for
the Koran. Since Islam forbids illustrating
religious texts with figurative scenes, Koranic
manuscripts are often sumptuously decorated
with interlocking geometric patterns and
stylized plant forms.
 The Torah

Pentateuch (five scrolls) refers to the first five

books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. In
Judaism this collection of books is referred to
as “the Law” or “Torah.” The Torah, or
Pentateuch (Five Scrolls), traditionally the
most revered portion of the Hebrew
scriptures, is a combination of narratives,
prophecies, and poetry. It provides an account
of events in the early history of the Jews, from
the beginning of the world to the death of
Moses. The Torah also contains many laws
covering every aspect of life, including food
and festivals. The Torah has continued to be
the most decisive factor in the Hebrew
religion’s survival and its incalculable
influence in the history of Western culture.
The Torah scroll is the most important object
in a synagogue and the only one that is
intrinsically holy. Detailed regulations govern
its preparation: it must be handwritten in
black ink, by a specially trained scribe, on one
side of parchment made from the skins of
ritually permitted and slaughtered (kosher)
animals. The text of the Torah is written in
square Hebrew letters, without vowels or
punctuation marks. The sheets are then sewn
together to form a long scroll, whose ends are
tied to two wooden rollers called atzei hayyim
(“trees of life”). The scrolls may be enclosed
in a hard case, called a tik, or covered by a
fabric dressed with silver ornaments. When
not in use, the scrolls are kept in a special
cupboard called the Holy Ark.