Angel on the Tomb - 11th Century Illumination from Pericopes of Henry II
During the 11th Century, a group of artists working in the Benedictine Abbey of Reichenau (in Southern Germany) created a beautifully illuminated manuscript for Henry II (a "Holy Roman Emperor").
Historians believe the illuminations were produced about a thousand years ago (between 1002-1012 AD).
This image—"Angel on the Tomb"—depicts one of those illustrations in the Pericopes of Henry II. ("Pericopes" are passages from the Gospels which are read during the year.)
Media Credits
Folio 117r of the Pericopes of Henry II - “The Angel on the Tomb” - created in the 11th Century. The manuscript is now maintained in Munich, at the Bayerische Staatsbibliothek (Bavarian State Library). Image online, courtesy Wikimedia Commons.