.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{box-sizing:border-box;width:100%;padding:5px;border:none;font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .hidden-title{font-weight:bold;line-height:1.6;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .hidden-content{text-align:left}@media all and (max-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .hidden-begin{width:auto!important;clear:none!important;float:none!important))You can help expand this article with text translated from the corresponding article in French. (June 2022) Click [show] for important translation instructions. View a machine-translated version of the French article. Machine translation, like DeepL or Google Translate, is a useful starting point for translations, but translators must revise errors as necessary and confirm that the translation is accurate, rather than simply copy-pasting machine-translated text into the English Wikipedia. Consider adding a topic to this template: there are already 6,166 articles in the main category, and specifying|topic= will aid in categorization. Do not translate text that appears unreliable or low-quality. If possible, verify the text with references provided in the foreign-language article. You must provide copyright attribution in the edit summary accompanying your translation by providing an interlanguage link to the source of your translation. A model attribution edit summary is Content in this edit is translated from the existing French Wikipedia article at [[:fr:Première Bible de Charles le Chauve]]; see its history for attribution. You may also add the template ((Translated|fr|Première Bible de Charles le Chauve)) to the talk page. For more guidance, see Wikipedia:Translation.
Charles the Bald receives the book, in the presentation miniature (fol. 423)
David Composing Psalms. Vivian Bible. Tours, c. 845.

The First[1] Bible of Charles the Bald (BNF Lat. 1), also known as the Vivian Bible, is a Carolingian-era Bible commissioned by Count Vivian of Tours in 845, the lay abbot of Saint-Martin de Tours, and presented to Charles the Bald in 846 on a visit to the church, as shown in the presentation miniature at the end of the book. It is 495 mm by 345 mm and has 423 vellum folia. It is now in the Bibliothèque nationale de France in Paris.

Bible de Vivien, BnF Ms. Lat. 1, fol. 239v

It is also thought to be the third illuminated Bible to have been made at Tours following the Bamberg Bible (Staatsbibliothek Bamberg Msc. Bibl. 1) and Moutier-Grandval Bible (British Library Add MS 10546).

The Vivian Bible contains many illuminations, including the Psalms frontispiece, depicting David Composing Psalms, and the presentation miniature, in which Charles the Bald receives the book. The psalms frontispiece is said to have connections with the prophet Audradas because of the writing above David's head. This connection can also be seen with the four virtues which are in the corners of the painting. These virtues are depicted as women on clouds with their arms outstretched.[2] We can see David's guards, who also have a symbolic meaning. They are meant to represent two Old Testament families that guarded David.[3] Along with the guards we see David at the center who is playing the lyre, and his four musicians. All these figures are held within a large mandorla, illustrating the heavenly realm. David appears naked with just a bit of drapery covering his upper half. This is representative of David's modesty and humility.[4]

The presentation miniature is an illumination of Charles the Bald receiving the Vivian Bible when he was just 22 years old. The illumination includes both the Pope and Charles the Bald, showing how the Pope and rulers were becoming reliant on each other during the Carolingian period. This illumination replaced the apocalypse miniature as the tailpiece of the Vivian Bible.[5] The illumination has the figures arranged in a circle. This makes it look like a procession is occurring in the image.[4] Additionally, Charles seems like a mediator between God and man, evident with the hand of God and the curtains that frame the enthroned Charles at the center.[6] There is some uncertainty as to who exactly each person in this image is. The men to Charles’ left and right are not described in the text of the bible, but it is thought that they might be palace officials. In the center right it is thought that the figure is Vivian. It was originally thought the man with his back turned to the viewer was Vivian, but this is the Pater (the father). There are also guards in this image which are like the guards in David composing the psalms. These guards are representative of Charles's military force.[7]

References

  1. ^ for disambiguation with the Second Bible of Charles the Bald, BNF Lat. 2, dated between 871 and 873.
  2. ^ Dutton, Paul Edward; Kessler, Herbert L.; Le Petit, Audrad (1997). The Poetry and Paintings of the First Bible of Charles the Bald. University of Michigan Press. p. 59.
  3. ^ Dutton, Paul Edward; Kessler, Herbert L.; Le Petit, Audrad (1997). The Poetry and Paintings of the First Bible of Charles the Bald. University of Michigan Press. p. 74.
  4. ^ a b Stokstad, Marilyn (2004). Medieval Art (2nd ed.). Colorado: Westview Press. pp. 122–3.
  5. ^ Dutton, Paul Edward; Kessler, Herbert L.; Le Petit, Audrad (1997). The Poetry and Paintings of the First Bible of Charles the Bald. University of Michigan Press. pp. 51, 73, 89.
  6. ^ Dutton, Paul Edward; Kessler, Herbert L.; Le Petit, Audrad (1997). The Poetry and Paintings of the First Bible of Charles the Bald. University of Michigan Press. p. 71.
  7. ^ Dutton, Paul Edward; Kessler, Herbert L.; Le Petit, Audrad (1997). The Poetry and Paintings of the First Bible of Charles the Bald. University of Michigan Press. pp. 74–75.

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