Double-sided folio from a Bible, Psalter or model-book depicting Cain and Abel on one side and Melchisedek blessing Abraham and the capture of Lot on the other; ca.1160; Southern Netherlands (possibly Liège); watercolour and gold leaf on vellum.

One side shows Cain and Abel offering up sacrifices to God at the top of the page and Cain killing Abel at the bottom. The other side shows Melchisedek blessing Abraham at the top of the page and the capture of Lot at the bottom.

Part of cuttings purchased in batches from William Henry James Weale in 1883, 95 on 9 April 1883, 258 on 17 April 1883, 20 on 20 February, for the total sum of £96.7.2 (now Museum nos 8972-9042).

Many twelfth century Psalters and Bibles included an introductory cycle of miniatures. These often incorporated scenes from the Book of Genesis. It was a medieval custom to interpret the Old Testament as a prefiguration of the New. Each major New Testament subject was seen as having several forerunners or ‘types’ in the Old Testament - Cain and Abel sacrificing was seen as symbolising the Synagogue and the Church; Cain murdering Abel was seen as a forerunner of Christ’s betrayal by Judas; and Melchisedek giving Abraham bread and wine was widely accepted as prefiguring the Eucharist.

Data taken from notes compiled by Rowan Watson. The full text of the entry is as follows:

Cat. no. 137
8982 (MS 413)
BIBLE?
Leaf with a full-page miniature on each side: Sacrifice of Cain and Abel, and the killing of Abel; Melchisedek blessing Abraham and the capture of Lot. Possibly from a model-book

NL (Liège). c. 1160
230 x 160 mm.
Pub: 1923 cat, 35 (given as German c. 1200) ; ` Medieval Treasury' (1986), pp 142-3 col. pl. 11'

This double-sided manuscript leaf depicts scenes from the first book of the Bible: Genesis. One side shows scenes from the story of Cain and Abel. The other shows King Melchisedek blessing Abraham and Abraham’s nephew Lot being captured.

It was a medieval custom to interpret the Old Testament as a prefiguration of the New. Each major New Testament subject was seen as having several forerunners or ‘types’ in the Old Testament. Cain murdering Abel was often interpreted as a forerunner of Christ’s betrayal by Judas, while Melchisedek giving Abraham bread and wine was widely accepted as prefiguring the Eucharist.

This particular manuscript leaf may have come from a Bible or Psalter (book of Psalms), or an artist’s Model Book. Another fragment thought to be from the same manuscript is located in Liège University (Wittert Coll.) and a group of similar leaves is found in Berlin (Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Kupferstichkabinet, inv. No. 78 A 6).

The leaf was purchased by the V&A in 1883 for £2.

8982