John Scottus Eriugena and the Upper Cover of the Lindau Gospels
Jeanne-Marie Musto
The unusual Crucifixion scene on the upper cover of Lindau Gospels, produced during reign Charles Bald (840-877), has long defied full explanation. Among contemporary works, a miniature in Coronation Sacramentary offers particularly suggestive parallels form and structure aids analysis cover's reinterpretation early Carolingian crucifixion imagery--especially as represented by lost but well-documented ivory panel formerly Berlin. Other aspects are unprecedented. These include arrangement eight figures who seem to hover weightless they approach Christ placement personified Sol Luna who, Albert M. Friend, Jr. first observed 1923, together represent an eclipse sun. In explanation this motif, Friend turned writings Neoplatonist theologian Pseudo-Dionysius Areopagite, translated Bald's court philosopher, John Scottus Eriugena; Johannes Reil subsequently drew upon Eriugena's poetry. But most compelling connections between writings, it is here argued, found his magisterial Periphyseon, with its powerful metaphors for return creation Christ. Periphyseon provides evidence that what motivated otherwise mysterious iconography Gospels was singular eschatology.
Gesta