Melisende Psalter - The New Testament Cycle

The New Testament Cycle

The first twenty-four illustrations (on each side of the first twelve folios) depict scenes from the New Testament. New Testament images were commonly found at the beginning of western psalters, unlike in eastern psalters, but in this case the images depict scenes more common in the Eastern Orthodox liturgy. The scenes depicted are the Annunciation, Visitation, the Nativity, the Adoration of the Magi, the Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, the Baptism of Jesus, the Temptation of Christ, the Transfiguration, the Raising of Lazarus, the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem (see illustration), the Last Supper, the Washing of the Feet, the Agony in the Garden, the Betrayal of Judas, the Crucifixion of Jesus, the Descent from the Cross, the Lamentation, the Harrowing of Hell, the Three Marys at the Tomb, and the Deesis.

These illustrations were made by an illuminator named Basilius, who signed the last illustration (pictured above) Basilius me fecit, and is the only named illuminator or scribe of this manuscript. Nothing is known about Basilius, but because of his Greek name it has been suggested that he was a Byzantine artist; it is also possible that he was a western artist who had been trained in a Greek style, maybe in Constantinople; or he may have been an Armenian Catholic, familiar with both Catholic and Orthodox traditions.