Adoration of the Magi in a Gospel according to the four Evangelists

Object Details

• Provenance

  ?-1284

  Probably Paron Wasak (1240-1284), commissioned the work [1]

  ?-by at least 1932

  H. Kevorkian (1872-1962), method of acquisition unknown [2]

  From 1932

  The Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Hagop Kevorkian [3]

  Notes:

  [1] Curator notes (att. to J.E. Lodge) in object file state “indications of former ownership, supplied by the manuscript itself, appear on pages 52 and 625.” This relates to Paron Wasak.

  [2] Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962) was a dealer and collector of Islamic works with eponymous galleries in New York and Paris. See April 12, 1932 invoice and March 17, 1932 letter to J.E. Lodge, documents in object file. See also letter dated February 19, 1932, from H. Kevorkian to J.E. Lodge stating that he placed “the superb Armenian manuscript as prepaid package” on the S.S. Europa, for The Freer Gallery. Regarding the missing representations of the four evangelists, Kevorkian notes, “The owners from whom I have purchased it assure me that the manuscript was just as it is to-day when they bought it ten years ago.” Said owners are not named in this letter.

  [3] The Freer Gallery of Art paid H. Kevorkian in installments, the first on March 10, 1932, and the last on April 12, 1932. See object file for copies of invoices.

  Research Completed November 21, 2022

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama (September 21, 2024 to January 12, 2025)

  America Meets Asia at the Freer Gallery of Art (May 9, 1993 to April 18, 1998)

  Untitled Exhibition, South Corridor (March 6, 1981 to May 7, 1984)

  Armenian Manuscripts (May 15, 1979 to March 11, 1980)

  Christian Art (April 10, 1978 to October 12, 1978)

  Christian Art (December 1, 1971 to April 7, 1978)

  Christian Art (January 1, 1963 to May 15, 1968)

  Untitled Exhibition, Armenian and Byzantine Art (July 28, 1958 to January 1, 1963)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Near Eastern Art, East Corridor (October 26 to November 10, 1955)

  Special Exhibition, Armenian Manuscripts and East Christian Art (February 15, 1955 to April 13, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Near Eastern Art, 1947 (June 18, 1947 to October 26, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Armenian Manuscripts (December 20, 1944 to October 6, 1947)

  Untitled Exhibition, Persian and Near Eastern Art (May 5, 1933 to September 24, 1947)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Probably Paron Wasak

  Hagop Kevorkian (1872-1962)

• Origin

  Turkey

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Manuscript

• On View

  Sackler 23a: An Epic of Kings: The Great Mongol Shahnama

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  1200s

• Name

  Wasak, Paron, Kevorkian, Hagop

• Place

  Armenia

• Topic

  Virgin, Biblical Manuscripts, Bible, Joseph, Illumination, Jesus Christ

• Culture

  Christians

• Object Type

  Manuscripts

• On View

  Yes