Akopyan, G. G. Vaspurakan Miniature of the 13th–15th Centuries (Miniatyura Vaspurakana XIII–XV vv.), 1989. In Russian

Акопян Г. Г. Миниатюра Васпуракана XIII–XV вв. / Академия наук Армянской ССР. Институт искусств. Матенадаран — Институт древних рукописей им. Маштоца.
Ереван : Издательство АН Армянской ССР, 1989.
112 с., [1] с., [67] л. ил. : цв. ил., факсимиле. Твердый переплет, суперобложка. Формат 27 см. Тираж 2500 экз.
***
Akopyan, G. G. Vaspurakan Miniature of the 13th–15th Centuries (Miniatyura Vaspurakana XIII–XV vv.). / Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR. Institute of Arts. Matenadaran — Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts.
Yerevan : Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the Armenian SSR, 1989.
112 pp., [1] p., [67] leaves of plates : col. ill., facsimiles. Hardcover with dust jacket. 27 cm format. Print run: 2,500 copies.

This 1989 academic edition is a profound exploration of one of the most distinctive schools of Armenian medieval art: the Vaspurakan school of illumination. Written by the renowned art historian Gravard Akopyan and prepared under the auspices of the Matenadaran, this work focuses on the creative output of the 13th to 15th centuries—a period of remarkable artistic flowering in the historic Vaspurakan region surrounding Lake Van.
Unlike the refined and aristocratic Cilician school, the Vaspurakan miniature is celebrated for its archaic power, expressive simplicity, and vibrant folk character. Akopyan meticulously analyzes the artistic language of the Vaspurakan masters, whose work is characterized by bold outlines, a unique palette of primary colors, and a highly symbolic, almost geometric approach to iconography. The book examines the cultural-historical environment that allowed these scriptoriums to thrive despite the turbulent political shifts of the late Middle Ages.
The edition is lavishly illustrated with 67 plates of high-quality color reproductions and facsimiles of manuscripts held in the Matenadaran collection. These images showcase the evolution of decorative motifs, the peculiar "naive" charm of the human figures, and the intricate marginal ornaments that define the Vaspurakan style. Akopyan identifies key artists and scriptoriums, tracing the lineage of stylistic trends that influenced Armenian art for centuries.
With a print run of only 2,500 copies, this large-format monograph is an essential resource for art historians, Byzantinists, medievalists, and collectors of Armenian heritage. It stands as a definitive record of a visual tradition that combined ancient Eastern Christian spirituality with a resilient national identity.