The Gothic Psalter in Munich – A Witness in the Case of the Orthodox αἶνοι Wall Paintings
The Gothic Psalter in Munich – A Witness in the Case of the Orthodox αἶνοι Wall Paintings

Summary/Abstract: The psalter consists of 150 psalms, but only the psalms 148-150 have been chosen for wall paintings in Orthodox churches. The fact has been ascribed to the liturgical use of these psalms, either in the morning service or in obsequies. The hypothesis is probed by a cross-check: Restriction to the last psalms is observed in the Gothic psalter in Munich which is not Orthodox and was never in liturgical use and whose miniatures are not wall paintings. The miniatures illustrate all verses of the three psalms quite literally. The wall paintings do not exhibit additional features which point to an influence of liturgy. It is concluded that the proposed explanations, though not ruled out, are not supported by internal evidence.

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