The Four Gospels

A full-page miniature illustration shows a seated man, likely an Evangelist, caught in the act of writing. The figure has dark hair and a beard. He wears a flowing blue-grey robe with bright highlights and a reddish-brown band on his right sleeve. He sits on a red cushion placed on a rectangular wooden bench. This bench is decorated with carved arch patterns. In his hands, he holds an open book with red-edged pages that contain Syriac script. To his right stands a tall wooden desk or lectern. This desk supports another open book, which also shows Syriac text. Below the lectern is a small cabinet or cupboard. It contains several glass or ceramic vessels, which are likely inkwells, and several scrolls. The background consists of solid, polished gold leaf. On the left side, a red patterned curtain hangs over a structure. The entire scene is enclosed by a thick decorative border. This border features red and white leaf-like scrollwork. At the four outer corners of the frame are small blue and gold fleur-de-lis ornaments.

Illegible Syriac script on the handheld book?

Illegible Syriac script on the lectern book?

Evangelist: One of the four authors of the Gospels in the New Testament, namely Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John.
Syriac script: A writing system used for the Syriac language. This is a dialect of Aramaic that was used widely by Eastern Christian churches.
Illumination: The hand-painted decoration in a manuscript, often using gold, silver, and vibrant colors.
Miniature: A small, detailed painting within a manuscript.
Peshitta: The standard version of the Bible in the Syriac language.
Lectern: A slanted stand or desk used to hold a book for a reader or writer.
Gold leaf: Gold that has been hammered into extremely thin sheets. It is applied to the page to create a shimmering background.