Canon Table Page 1256

This Canon Table Page was made by Toros Roslin in the 13th century. Here, we see a structure resembling a temple portico, adorned with birds, vases, and geometric patterns. These canon tables were an organizational system, a concordance to harmonize the Gospels. The semi-circular lunette at the top echoes the heavens, populated with avian symbols reminiscent of the soul’s journey. We see this motif echoed across cultures – the bird as messenger, a symbol of spiritual ascension. These birds perched on the columns are visual echoes of similar images found in Roman mosaics and Byzantine textiles, each instance layering new cultural significance onto the archetypal symbol. The plants growing from vases evoke the “vessels of life” – a symbol of both death and rebirth. Consider how the image, deeply embedded in the collective psyche, resurfaces, transformed, yet still resonating with primal human emotions.