A Short History of the Middle Ages Fourth Edition

Plate 3.8: Saint John (2nd half, 9th cent.). Neither classically naturalistic nor entirely decorative in
inspiration, this painting of the evangelist Saint John evokes a heavenly reality that is only vaguely anchored
in earthly things. The book that John is writing (note the ink horn in his left hand) gives the opening line of
his Gospel: “In principio erat verbum” (“In the beginning was the Word”).