Volume VI - 1952

Author Category Volume Page Year Language Laourdas V. PAPERS AND STUDIES 6 299 - 320 1952 Greek Title The miniatures accompanying Erotokritos (Harley Codex 5644, British Museum) Summary PDF Harley Codex 5644 in the British Museum is one of the most significant attestations to the tradition of Erotokritos. It was copied in 1710; fifteen years later, H. Wanley, librarian to Edward Harley, bought it in Corfu from a young man named Nikolaos Rodostamos. It is decorated with 122 miniatures that follow the text closely, acting as illustrated comments on the plot. Some are accompanied by Greek inscriptions in the copyist’s hand, while others have Italian inscriptions, bolstering the hypothesis that the artist was of Italian origin. The miniatures were described in detail by Stephanos Xanthoudides, the first publisher of Erotokritos. His descriptions are re-published here, together with photographic reproductions of all the miniatures.