Book of Beasts
The Liber Bestiarum, or the Book of Beasts, was mean to be used to study the natural world and God’s creations. It is important as an academic tool and as an art object. This book allows scholars, students, and collectors to learn and study the medieval recordings of animals and human life. Similarly, people can appreciate and enjoy the many illuminations of real and mythical animals. The luxuriousness of the Bestiary supports the idea that it was probably crafted for an aristocratic patron.
The facsimile continues to promote its original luxury as it is bound in full goatskin leather of the finest Nigerian grade. It is blocked in gold among the colors of red, green and blue with traditional raised bands on the spine. David Eccles designed the illustrated binding with gilding on all three edges.
Original: Unknown master scribe and artist
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: PA8275.B4 H36 2008
Original MS: Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Bodley 764
London: The Folio Society
Facsimile: 2008
Original MS: mid-13th century
Commentary: Christopher de Hamel, Translation: Richard Barber
Bodleian Library
Bestiarium: Oxford Ashmole 1511
282 pages, 30.5 x 19.7 cm, 137 folios, 135 miniatures
Facsimile: Latin
Commentary: English
Bestiary
Illuminated Manuscript
England, Gothic, mid-13th century
Prepared by Karla Bernal
The Book of Hours of Isabella I of Castile, Queen of Spain
Elaborately decorated prayer books were special books personalized for their owners. They were intended to be held in the hand and admired for their delicate illuminations while guiding the reader through daily devotions. Owning and using such a book showed that piety along with wealth and status. Books such as this are renowned for the decoration of their borders, which feature a variety of realistically painted birds, flowers, and butterflies. This one was given by Juana Enríquez, mother of King Ferdinand II, King of Aragon, to her daughter-in-law Queen Isabella.
Within the deluxe facsimile the original image program is completely copied with 40 full-page miniatures, 10 half-page miniatures, and 24 calendar medallions. The facsimile replicates on the exterior the blue leatherette binding decorated with gold furniture and Isabella the Catholic’s coat of arms and on the interior the ink and tempera paint as well as the gilding.
Original: Alexander Bening; Master of the First Prayer Book of Maximilian, Gerard David; Master of James IV of Scotland; Master of the Prayer Books of around 1500; Ghent Associates
William Vrelant
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: BX2080.A35 I83 1991
Original MS: Madrid, Biblioteca del Palacio Real
Faksimile Verlag, Munich
Facsimile: 1991
Original MS: c. 1497-1500
Facsimile Editor: Cesar Olmos Pieri
Munich, Faksimile Verlag
Cantigas de Santa María Alfonso X el Sabio
20 x 14 cm
Facsimile: Latin
Book of Hours
A personal, portable devotional book, used for daily prayer and psalm recitation.
Bruges, Gothic, Northern Renaissance, c. 15th century
Prepared by Meghan Holmes and Jennifer Boatner
William Blake’s <em>Jerusalem: The Emanation of The Giant Albion</em>
<em>Jerusalem: The Emanation of The Giant Albion</em> is the last prophetic epic poem by William Blake. The illustrated poem portrays the fall and salvation of Albion, the universal human. It is divided into four chapters addressing the Public, the Jews, the Deists, and the Christians. Blake created the illustrated poem by etching in relief on copperplates, that were then used to print several versions or copies of <em>Jerusalem.</em> This specific copy of <em>Jerusalem</em> is only one of two current color copies of <em>Jerusalem</em>, and once belonged to the collection of Lt. Colonel William Stirling of Keir. <em>Jerusalem</em> has now come to reside in the Yale Center for British Art in New Haven.
The facsimile is made up of four paperback fascicles, each with 25 plates. A fifth fascicle includes an introduction discussing the creation of the facsimile by the William Blake Trust. The process took over two years to complete with painstaking reproductions of collotype to mimic the copperplates of Blake’s original versions. The facsimile prints were then painted with watercolors by hand with stenciling to reproduce the watercolor effects as closely as possible to the originals.
Original MS: William Blake
Facsimile: William Blake Trust, Daniel Jacoumet et cie, Paris
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: PR4144 .J4 1951
Original: New Haven, Yale Center for British Art, Copy E, c. 1821
Trianon Press for the William Blake Trust, London
Facsimile: 1951
Original: c. 1821
NA
Cobham, Surrey: Trianon Press
William Blake's water-colour designs for the poems of Thomas Gray
100 leaves of plates: colored illustrations; 35 cm
English
19th century poem of illustrated printing
Hand painted replication of illustrated printing
England, Illustrated Printing, c. 1821
Prepared by Tania Kolarik
Biblia Pauperum, Pauper's Bible with Apocalypse
The Weimer Manuscript
The heavily illustrated Pauper’s Bible with Apocalypse served as a handbook for the poor and illiterate, and was widely distributed in its time. It is a rich display of medieval iconography with scenes from the New Testament located in center panels, scenes from the Old Testament on side panels, and whole page scenes from Revelations.
The Pauper's Bible with Apocalypse facsimile is a full-size color reproduction of the large-scale original manuscript. The facsimile conveys the manuscripts' ability to act as a learning tool for the public, who probably did not know Latin well or at all. While the pages do not replicate the texture of the original manuscript, the binding of the facsimile is of real vellum with gold and red lettering.
Original MS: Unknown
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: BT225 .B5 1977
Original MS: Weimar, Zentralbibliothek der Deutschen Klassik, MS Fol. max. 4
Frankfurt am Main: Insel-Verlag
Facsimile: 1977
Original MS: c. 1340-1350
Commentary: Reiner Behrends, Konrad Kratzsch, Heinz Mettke
Insel-Verlag
Gutenberg Bible
70 pages, illustrations, 50 cm
Facsimile: German, Latin
Commentary: German
Illustrated Apocalypse
History of Biblical events, Picture Bibles
German, Gothic, c. mid-14th century
Prepared by Samantha Elert
Book of Hours of Doña Mencía de Mendoza
The 16th century Book of Hours of Doña Mencía de Mendoza at the Institute of Valencia is one of many books of hours that Doña Mencía ordered. It is a miniature manuscript meant to be held in the hand and actively used by the owner. Books of Hours were popular books for Christian devotion, containing prayers to be said throughout the day, and luxury versions would often feature biblical imagery. In this miniature example there are 17 full-page illuminations displaying several scenes from the New Testament. In addition to biblical imagery, the shields of Henry Count of Nassau, the first husband of Doña Mencía, and her shield as Marquee of Zanete are also portrayed in the manuscript.
The facsimile of the Book of Hours of Doña Mencía de Mendoza is a full-size color reproduction of the original manuscript. It is bound in brown leather with a gold rays emitting from a center heart. The facsimile is stored in a small red velvet covered wooden box with silver furniture, and locked with a key. The use of the elaborate box brings about a greater sense of intimacy with the facsimile, conveying to the modern student or scholar the close proximity the original viewer would need to complete their devotion.
Original MS: Unknown
Facsimile: Cesar Olmos Pieri and Juana Hildago Ogayar
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: BX2080.A35 M46 2002
Original MS: Madrid, Biblioteca del Instituto de Valencia de Don Juan, MS 26-III-41
Madrid: Testimonio Compañia Editorial,
Facsimile: 2002
Original MS: c. 16th century
Commentary: J. Hidalgo Ogayar
Madrid, Testimonio Compañía Editorial
Book of Hours of Lorenzo de Medici
202 leaves, illustrated, 9 cm
Facsimile: Latin
Commentary: Spanish
Miniature Book of Hours, book for private devotion
Miniature for women
Spanish, Renaissance, c. 16th century
Prepared by Doo wan Kwon and Semi Elert, edited by Jennifer Boatner
Escorial Beatus
The Escorial Beatus manuscript contains the commentary on the Apocalypse written by Beatus of Liébana in the 8th century, and is one of the oldest Beatus manuscripts. The iconography is described as Mozarabic, which refers to the influence of Islamic rule and culture on the Christian populations of Spain. One main feature of this Beatus is the flat and highly stylized imagery, which could be viewed as a predecessor to the Expressionistic art movement.
The true-to-size Escorial Beatus facsimile is bound in embossed brown goatskin with hand stitching and silver clasps. The pages accurately depict the current fragmented folios of parchment, along with the texture.
Original MS: San Millán de la Cogolla monastery
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: BS2825 B37 950a
Original MS: San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Real Biblioteca del Monasterio, MS &.II.5
Testimonio Compañía Editorial
Facsimile: 1994
Original MS: c. 10th century
NA
Madrid, Testimonio Compañía Editorial
Echternach Gospels
Facsimile: 151 [i.e. 302 p.]: col. ill; 36 cm
Original: Latin
Facsimile: Latin with commentary in Spanish
Commentary of the apocalypse
Illuminated Manuscript
Spain, Romanesque, c. 10th century
Prepared by Jared Peers and Kristen Barnhart
The Hereford World Map
The Hereford World Map, or "Mappa Mundi," was created using a full sheet of vellum, or calfskin, around 1300 to represent the world as it was then understood. It portrays Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is in an T-O layout and has everything centered around Jerusalem. It was used to study the world but also the different creatures in foreign regions and important mythological events, while still promoting the place of Christ sitting in judgment over all of God’s creation.
The Mappa Mundi facsimile is nearly to scale measuring 143 x 120 cm. Large scale printing technology was needed to print the map in one piece. As a result, the colors are vibrant, replicating the experience of viewing the original map in person. There is a texture to the surface of the map facsimile, which acts to further replicate the original vellum.
Original MS: Richard of Haldingham and Lafford
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: GA304.R5 H37 2010 map
Original MS: Hereford, Hereford Cathedral
Folio Society, London
Facsimile: 2010
Map: c. 1300
Introduction: P.D.A. Harvey.
Commentary: Scott D. Westrem
Folio Society
Isidore of Seville’s Etymologiae
Map on vellum, not to scale, 143 x 120 cm
Latin, Anglo-Norman French
World map
Spiritual and Historical Map
England, Gothic, c. 1300
Prepared by Dorothy Irvine
Songbook of Joan the Mad
The Songbook of Joan the Mad was likely commissioned by Joan of Castile, who was married to Phillip the Handsome. The manuscript was completed in 1511 and is attributed to the Master of the David Scenes in the Breviary Grimani and Master of the Dresden Prayerbook, who worked out of Bruges. The songs recorded within the handheld songbook were favorites of Joan of Castile and performed at their court. The songs address the different themes of love, yearning, betrayal, sadness, and religion. The songbook is illustrated throughout with biblical scenes of Christ's Passion, tearful eyes, and lovers.
The facsimile of the Songbook of Joan the Mad is a full-size color reproduction of the entire original manuscript. The original leather binding is replicated including the bird and animal motifs and vegetal scrolling. There are 56 miniatures illuminated in gold throughout the facsimile. The handheld facsimile is contained within a brown velvet cushioned box with gold lettering on the binding of the box.
Original MS: Master of the David Scenes in the Breviary Grimani, Master of the Dresden Prayerbook, Antoine de Gavere
Facsimile: UNT Willis Library Sandborn Reading Room, Call Number: ML96.5 .C343 2007
Original MS: Bruxelles, Bibliothèque royale de Belgique, MS IV 90
Valencia: Patrimonio Ediciones
Facsimile: 2006
Original MS: 1511
NA
Valencia: Patrimonio Ediciones
Squarcialupi codex
54 pages, illustrated, 10 x 12 cm
Middle French, Flemish, and Latin
Dutch Illustrated Music Manuscript
Handheld illustrated songbook
Bruges, Gothic, Northern Renaissance, c. 16th century
Prepared by Tania Kolarik
The Gutenberg Bible
Johannes Gutenberg, who introduced movable type, began printing the Gutenberg Bible in the mid-15th century in Mainz. As medieval handmade books were still the main way of crafting manuscripts, Gutenberg did his best to replicate the look of medieval manuscripts already in circulation. The originals were usually stained cowhide leather with hand-tooled embellishments. However, while the majority of the originals were printed on handmade paper, some were still printed on traditional vellum. It is estimated that 170 calfskins were required to make the parchment for one printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
This facsimile consists of two volumes that are hand bound in full oxblood moroccon leather. Although this facsimile is technically a copy, the attention to detail and the Intaglio printing process used is astounding. To insure the colors of the text and images were vibrant the publishers ran each page through the printing process seven times. It features vibrant colored inks and a lacquer protected copper-bronze powder in place of the gold leafing. As well, to replicate the gold leafing, they tested different formulas to come up with a one-of-a-kind lacquer-protected copper-bronze powder they used during publishing. Each page section was also hand sewn into the spine of the facsimile during the binding process. This facsimile was not simply massed produced using automated machines but was hand made using various time-consuming processes to insure accuracy and attention to detail.
Original MS: Johannes Gutenberg
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: Z241 .B58 1961 V. 1, V. 2
Original MS: Paris, Bibliotheque Mazarine, Inc. 16
Pageant Books and Cooper Square Publishing New York, NY
Facsimile: 1961
Original MS: 1454
NA
Pageant Books and Cooper Square Publishing New York, NY
Douce Apocalypse
46.9 x 31.8 x 8.3 cm
Latin
Holy Bible, Old and New Testament
Incunabula, Early Printed Books
Germany, Renaissance, c. 1400s
Prepared by Brain Wiseman
The Tailor's Book, Il Libro del Sarto
Il Libro del Sarto translates to “The Book of the Tailor.” Its best-known contributor, Ioanne Iacomo del Conte (1520 -1592), used the manuscript as his workbook and also collected illustrations that could be displayed to customers. Del Conte’s career as a tailor and illustrator are reflected in the binding of Il Libro del Sarto, consisting of a leather belt, which neatly clasps around this handsome portfolio. Il Libro del Sarto’s unique binding expresses this manuscript’s performative nature and expresses its functionality as a tailor’s workbook.
This facsimile provides a window into the secular fashion world of 16th century Milan. It is accurate in conveying the look and feel of the portfolio with its leather binding and textured pages to replicate the feel of parchment.
Original MS: Ioanne Iacomo del Conte, Giovani Jacopo del Conte, Giuseppe Arcimboldo
Facsimile: UNT Special Collections Library, Call Number: GT964 .S27 1589x
Original MS: Venice, Querini-Stampalia Library
Valencia: Ediciones Grial
Facsimile: 2004
Original MS: c. 1540 – 1570s
Commentary: Ruth de la Puerta Escribano, Paolla Venturelli, & Doretta Davanzo
Valencia: Ediciones Grial
Libro de los trajes de C. Weiditz (1529)
21 x 29.5 cm, 324 pages
Italian
Secular Illustrated MS
Middle-Late 16th C. Milanese Fashion and Textiles
Italy, Elizabethan Era, c. 1558-1603
Prepared by Ethan Cramer