viz.

Two weeks ago I posted on the title page of the 1611 edition of the King James Bible. This week, I thought it’d be fun to consider the first page of the New Testament in that same edition. [Click here for a large-sized image of the page.] This first page of the New Testament contains as much imagery as the edition’s actual title page, which is surprising given that it comes nearly 4/5’s of the way through the book. And though I am no expert in seventeenth-century bibliography, it does seem a little bit odd that such a detailed woodcut would come in the middle of a book, but perhaps this was commonplace for bibles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. In any event, there’s a lot going on in this image, and I thought you might find it enjoyable to take a moment this week and consider the page.

At the top of the first page of the 1611 edition of the King James Bible, is the Holy Trinity. The Hebrew letters stand for YHWH; the lamb symbolizes Christ; and the dove represents the Holy Spirit. The writers of the four Gospels frame the title page’s text, each sitting next to their symbolic beast. On the left side of the page the twelve tribes of Israel are depicted in a chain ascending the page. On the right side, the twelve apostles are depicted in a similar fashion (see above). Just below the actual title of the New Testament is a sacrificed lamb on a pedestal (see below). Below the page’s text there is an image of a lamb being sacrificed.

I find the repeated image of the lamb on this page interesting. Above the lamb is framed within a circle. It holds a cross and marches on top of a sphere in front of sun and clouds. This is astute, as the New Testament frames the life of Jesus Christ. The chains of tribes and apostles on the sides of the page resemble the Jesse Tree. The Jesse Tree is a medieval art trope that depicts the ancestors of Christ in an ornate way. The oldest complete example of the Jesse Tree can be found in Chartres Cathedral (see below). I’m not sure if there’s a connection to be made between the Jesse Tree and the images on the side of the New Testament’s first page in the 1611 King James Bible, but their resemblance is interesting.

Image Credit: Wikipedia

Readers wanting to learn more about the King James Bible should try to visit the Harry Ransom Center and enjoy their ongoing exhibition, The King James Bible: Its History and Influence.

The views expressed herein are strictly those of viz. blog, and not those of the Harry Ransom Center.