The Life of John the Baptist in Manuscript Paris Bibliothéque National de France Grec 74: An Iconographic Analysis Paris Bibliothéque National de France Grec 74 El Yazmasında Vaftizci Yahya’nın Hayatı: İkonografik Bir Analiz
Art-Sanat Dergisi, no.26, pp.25-56, 2026 (ESCI, Scopus, TRDizin)
- Publication Type: Article / Article
- Publication Date: 2026
- Doi Number: 10.26650/artsanat.2026.26.00010
- Journal Name: Art-Sanat Dergisi
- Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, TR DİZİN (ULAKBİM)
- Page Numbers: pp.25-56
- Anadolu University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
John the Baptist, who holds a significant position in the history of Christianity, is one of the most frequently mentioned religious figures in the New Testament after Jesus. By proclaiming the coming of Jesus, John paved the way for the Messiah and baptized the people for spiritual purification. Narratives and depictions of John’s life appear in numerous works of art from the Byzantine period, including manuscripts, icons, frescoes, and mosaics. The illuminated manuscript BnF Grec 74, preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France in Paris, is an important work of Byzantine art dating from the 11th century. This manuscript contains 215 folios and 375 illustrations. The 33 scenes dedicated to John the Baptist depict 18 different episodes, including his lineage, birth, life in the wilderness, baptisms, and death. In this study, an iconographic analysis of the scenes depicting John the Baptist in BnF Grec 74 was conducted, and these depictions were compared with similar examples in Middle Byzantine manuscripts. John’s life has been evaluated from an iconographic perspective, considering the illustrations found in the manuscript. The research determined that Grec 74 contains one of the most comprehensive visual programs related to the life of John the Baptist in Byzantine art. Particularly, scenes depicting John’s childhood, his life in the wilderness, his baptismal activities, and his martyrdom reveal the unique iconographic features of the manuscript. This work constitutes a significant source for assessing the development of John the Baptist iconography and the narrative approach found in Middle Byzantine illuminated manuscripts.