Scribe Collection (#8)

The Author Writing the Layenspiegel; The Trinity and the Virgin at the Upper Center, from Der Neue Layenspiegel, 1511

Ishiyakushi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road, e... early 20th century
Ishiyakushi, from the series The Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido Road, early 20th century

Hall of Quiet Study, 19th century. Creator: Anon
Hall of Quiet Study, 19th century

Statue of Mentuhotep. Egyptian Art Museum. Luxor. Egypt
Statue of Mentuhotep. Middle Kingdom. 12th Dynasty. Vizier under Sesostris I. Headless statue, represented as a scribe, from Temple of Amun at Karnak. Egyptian Art Museum. Luxor. Egypt

9TH CENTURY SCHOLAR
A medieval scholar looks to the heavens for inspiration Date: 9th century

MEDIEVAL SCHOLAR
a medieval scholar at his lectern in a library Date: 15th century

MONK COPYING
A monk copies a manuscript Date: 15th century

Monk Copyists
A monk copyist at work. It is also the first known picture of a man wearing spectacles. Date: 1352

Portrait of Islam Khan Mashhadi, 17th century. Creator: Payag
Portrait of Islam Khan Mashhadi, 17th century

Apocalypsis cu Figuris, 1511. 1511. Creator: Albrecht Durer
Apocalypsis cu Figuris, 1511

The copyist. Bookplate of Robert Forrer, 1890. Creator: Schnug, Leo (1878-1933)
The copyist. Bookplate of Robert Forrer, 1890. Found in the Collection of Musee d Art Moderne et Contemporain, Strasbourg

Koei-Si-Hin - scribe, Magalang, Java, 1898. Creator: Christian Wilhelm Allers
Koei-Si-Hin - scribe, Magalang, Java, 1898. Portrait of a Chinese man wearing glasses and holding a pen. Koei-Si-Hin, Offens[?] Schreiber in Magelang

J. Ayres, (fl. 1680-1700), 1830. Creator: Unknown
J. Ayres, (fl. 1680-1700), 1830. John Ayres (fl. 1680-1700) English author, scribe and publisher, knighted in 1689, lord mayor of London 1693-94

Ezra Reading the Law to the Jews, 1890. Creator: Unknown
Ezra Reading the Law to the Jews, 1890. Ezra, a scribe and High Priest reads the Law of God to Jews who have returned to Jerusalem. (Nehemiah 7:73-8:18), c5th century BC

The Art of Writing. From Encyclopedie by Denis Diderot and Jean Le Rond d Alembert, 1751-1765. Private Collection

L Ecriture (The Writing), 1752. Creator: Liotard, Jean-Etienne (1702-1789)
L Ecriture (The Writing), 1752. Found in the Collection of Art History Museum, Vienne

Vietnamese Scholar / Scribe. Date: 1906

An Eastern Scribe - Luke vi. 7, c1924. Creators: James Clark, Henry A Harper
An Eastern Scribe - Luke vi. 7, c1924. Luke 6:7 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus

A causto (clerk / scribe), pub. 1808-12. Creator: Franz Balthazar Solvyns (1760-1824)
A causto (clerk/scribe), from Les Hindous ou la Description de leurs Moeurs Coutumes et Ceremonies, pub. 1808-12 (coloured etching)

Scribes At Work During The Tudor Period In England. From A Contemporary Print

Paris, France - Rue Scribe - Hotel de l Athenee. Date: circa 1905

Alfonso X The Sage (1221-1284), king of Castile and Leon, miniada page of his work The Cantigas de Santa Maria where the figure appears in the center

Miniature in Codex Justinian Institutiones Feudorum et Alia, illuminated manuscript, c. 1300, with the scene of a scribe

Scribe

Book of Hours, manuscript c. 1444, detail of the writing of a page

The Scribes. Relief from Mastaba of Akhethotep at Saqqara, Old Kingdom, 5th Dynasty, ca 2494-2345 BC. Found in the Collection of The Egyptian Museum, Cairo

Burgundian scribe (Portrait of Jean Mielot, secretary, author and translator
Burgundian scribe (Portrait of Jean Mie lot, secretary, author and translator of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy), ca 1455. Found in the Collection of Bibliothe que Nationale de France

Portrait of Eugene Scribe (1791-1861), 1862. Artist: Nadar, Gaspard-Felix (1820-1910)
Portrait of Eugene Scribe (1791-1861), 1862. Private Collection

Public Scribe. Artist: Hamdi Bey, Osman (1842-1910)
Public Scribe. Found in the collection of Sakıp Sabancı Museum, Istanbul

Edward III and the Earl of Flanders, 14th century, (1910). King Edward (ruled 1327-1377) wears a dalmatica with wide sleeves, and a richly embroidered under-tunic

Egyptian scribes, c1350 BC (1936). Limestone relief. Found in the collection of the Museo Archeologico, Florence. Plate taken from The Art of Ancient Egypt, published by the Phaidon Press (Vienna)

Scribe, costume design for Shakespeares play, Henry VIII, 19th century. A 19th-century costume design for William Shakespeares (1564-1616) play, Henry VIII

King Rene and his Musical Court, 15th century, (1870). Artist: Firmin, Didot & Co
King Rene and his Musical Court, 15th century, (1870). A miniature from the breviary of King Rene, in the Arsenal Library, Paris

Scribe, (1885). Artist: Boissieu
Scribe, (1885). Stall of a man who wrote documents and letters for illiterate members of the public. Taken from 18th Century Institutions, Usages And Costumes, France 1700-1789, by Paul Lacroix

Scribe or copyist, 15th century, (1870). An engraving from The Arts of the Middle Ages and at the Period of the Renaissance, by Paul Lacroix, (London, 1870)

St Jude and King Ahaziah, second half of the 14th century, (1843). Artist: Henry Shaw
St Jude and King Ahaziah, second half of the 14th century, (1843). Scenes from a manuscript service book and lectionary. St Jude is writing his epistle with the tools of a scribe - the quire is here

The Scribe, Second Half of the 19th cen Artist: Starck, Julius Joseph Gaspard (1814-1899)
The Scribe, Second Half of the 19th cen.. Found in the collection of the Pera Museum, Istanbul

Homer Dictating his Poems, 17th century. Artist: Pier Francesco Mola
Homer Dictating his Poems, 17th century. Found in the collection of the State A Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

Statue of the Scribe Maaniamen, middle of the 15th century BC. Ancient Egypt. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Stele of the Royal Scribe Ipi, middle of the 14th century BC. Found in the collection of the State Hermitage, St. Petersburg

Ancient Egyptian figure of a seated scribe, 25th-24th century BC. The figure is of painted limestone with inlaid eyes of rock crystal. It dates from the 5th Dynasty

Mary and Joseph before Cyrenius, Byzantine Mosaic, Chora Church, Istanbul, c1310-1320. Mary and Joseph before Cyrenius registering for the census for taxation, with guard, scribe and an officer

The forlorn scholar. This petition, in the form of a letter to the king Ashurbanipal, was written by Artist: Urad-Gula
The forlorn scholar, Petition in letter form, to king Ashurbanipal, c7th century BC. Written by Urad-Gula, the chief scribe

St John dictating to Prochorus, 17th Century. Ikon at Byzantine Museum, Athens. St John the Baptist Dictating his gospel to his disciple Apostle St Prochorus

Maya Codices. The Madrid Codex (Codex Tro-Cortesianus). Pos
The Madrid Codex (Codex Tro-Cortesianus). Postclassic Period. There are 112 pages, which got split up into two separate sections, known as the Troano Codex and the Cortesianus Codex

Mozarabic art. 10th century. Codex Vigilanus or Albeldensis, (976). The nine portraits. Page showing three visigothic kings, three kings of Navarre and three scribes of the codex

HAMMURABI (1792-1730 BC). King of Babylonia (1798-1756 BC). Babylonian medicine. Towards 1900 BC Hammurabi Code sets standards for the medical profession

Illustration of ancient Egyptian scribes

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The art of the scribe has transcended time and cultures, leaving behind a rich legacy of knowledge and creativity. From the ancient Papyrus of Ani (Book of the Dead) to the intricate illustrations in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, these skilled individuals played a vital role in preserving history. In medieval times, scribes meticulously copied manuscripts, ensuring that valuable texts were not lost to time. Their dedication can be seen in depictions such as The Seven Liberal Arts from Hortus deliciarum or the Folio of Codex depicting Catalan Parliament. These works showcase their attention to detail and commitment to accuracy. Scribes also held important positions within legal systems like the Court of Exchequer and Court of Common Pleas. They recorded proceedings with precision, ensuring justice was served and documented for future generations. Beyond administrative duties, scribes were often scholars themselves. In 16th-century Europe, they immersed themselves in academia, contributing to intellectual pursuits alongside renowned thinkers. Their work helped shape our understanding of various subjects throughout history. From ancient Egypt's Stela of Ani depicting a royal scribe to The Seated Scribe statue dating back thousands of years before Christ, these artifacts demonstrate how highly regarded this profession was across civilizations. Even beyond written records, scribes found inspiration in nature and poetry. A Japanese poet sitting beneath a cherry tree captures their connection with beauty and contemplation while transcribing thoughts onto paper. Throughout history, whether it be recording prophecies like Jeremiah dictating his visions or copying manuscripts by candlelight during medieval times – one thing remains constant: the indispensable role played by these dedicated individuals known as scribes.