[3] The cover is the original, with a tenth-century carved Byzantine ivory inlay representing the Dormition of the Virgin.

[2][4] The cover of the book is a tribute to its contents; it is jeweled with a centerpiece consisting of a Byzantine ivory inlay of the Dormition of the Virgin.

The inlay was placed on the cover rather than inside the manuscript because the text of the four gospels does not include reference to the Virgin Mary's death.

The portrait uses hierarchic scaling to identify him as the main subject by making him larger than the others and having him sitting in a temple.

They represented the four provinces of his empire (Germany, France, Northern Italy, and the Slavic east) and are reminiscent of Christ being approached by the Magi.

[4] The extensive illuminations throughout the book are flat with no three-dimensional proportions and done with fine detail and brilliant colors.

For example, the frieze has gables that are similar to the "roof plants" in gospels written at the Charlemagne Court Schools.

He is alone except for a man observing him from a tree, some figures looking on from below, and two boys attempting to cross the border between the lower into the upper area of the picture to place their clothing under the hooves of the donkey carrying Christ.

[4] The illumination Footwashing of St. Peter, shows iconography that is included in many prior works, but transformed in this book.

The stares of the other disciples, the glance and gesture of Christ, and the use of the ceremonial canopy with gold introduces high drama.

[7] The Ottonian emperors were Saxons and they controlled areas of Germany, Switzerland, part of Serbia, and northern Italy (modern day designations).

Otto's interest included ancient Roman sculpture, painting, architecture, metal work, and manuscripts.

Figures in Ottonian works and art produced by others were often presented with in a frontal view, which is used for Christ and rulers.

The book was thought to have been produced by the Liuthard Group in the abbey due to its superb quality and style.

[3] The Benedictine abbey at Reichenau produced high quality manuscripts between 970 and 1010 or 1020 for the wealthy, kings, bishops and emperors.

The monks at the Reichenau scriptorium produced manuscripts of such artistic and historic value and innovation that ten of them, including the book, were listed in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in 2003.

[11] The number of well-regarded manuscripts from the Reichenau monks is testimony not only to their artistic talents, but also their strength and dedication (the work was slow, exacting, and took a lot of time, so producing so many documents of such excellence is a tribute to them).

[7] The manuscript was given by Otto III to Henry II who donated it to the Cathedral of Bamberg where it remained until 1803.

It was removed to the Bavarian State Library in Munich to protect the valuable materials in its binding and cover.