Countries often see manuscripts as cultural icons and as national treasures. Books were once incredibly valuable objects, made by hand and with very expensive materials: aside from their monetary value, they carried with them a national identity. To simply possess a shelf full of books was an amazing thing. National libraries still value their medieval manuscripts, but are now trying to save them from deterioration over time and trying to make them available to the public (something very rare, and certainly impossible for their original viewers).
The National Library of Scotland
In addition to more modern manuscripts, this library contains the Murthly Hours (a devotional book of hours) and the Auchinleck Manuscript (lyrics, stories, poetry and prose) reproduced in full, with accompanying commentary, transcription.
The British Library
This library has a conservation and publication program that has made very important manuscripts available to the general public in a display setting that appeals to many. Their “Turning the Pages” program simulates actually turning the pages of a manuscript, and transcriptions, translations, and commentary are available at the click of a button. The images of these manuscripts are high-res and detailed, professional photographs.
Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru (The National Library of Wales)
This library has made available numerous selections and some whole manuscripts in a number of languages, including books of Taliesin, of the Mabinogi, an edition of Chaucer, a miscellany in Middle English, and several historical chronicles. These manuscripts have their own descriptive pages that put them in a historical context.
Bibliothéque Nationale de France
France’s national library contains selections from many medieval manuscripts, including that of Jean of Berry’s book of hours and Gaston Phoebus’ Book of the Hunt, as well as Froissart’s 15th century historical chronicles, an earlier atlas, a scientific work, and a breviary.
Showing posts with label Nat. Lib. Scotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nat. Lib. Scotland. Show all posts
Friday, May 9, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
The Book of Hours
A book of hours is a private devotional book that provided prayers for different times of the day; monks often prayed together as a community as many as seven times a day, and though a pious man or woman outside the cloister might not be able to celebrate with the church as a whole, prayer books provided guidelines for personal prayer.
That was the idea, anyway: prayer books were customizable and beautiful objects of art that were also status symbols and worked the way calendars do for us today. Usually included was a calendar of widely observed holy days (a concept from which we still have “holidays”) that could be fitted to any year, and could hold a variety of prayers that could be tailored to different events--for different times of the year, for different purposes during a church service--even for birthdays and deaths.
The Murthly Hours
The Murthly Hours are kept by the National Library of Scotland and are in a mixture of languages, including Latin, Old French, and some of the earliest recorded Scottish Gaelic. This book is from the late 13th century and has been completely scanned and placed online. This site is highly recommended.
Petites Heures du Jean de Berry
The Bibliothéque Nationale de France has provided access to a great deal of Jean of Berry’s “small” book of hours on their website. In addition to miniature paintings of each of the 12 months, there are numerous illustrations of biblical events.
Les trés riches heures du Duc de Berry
The Très Riches Heures de Duc de Berry is a 15th century example commissioned by the same duke of Berry. It is not completely integrated online but the most elaborate miniatures have been scanned and linked here.
A Hypertext Book of Hours
Though the texts and miniatures are drawn chiefly from a 16th century book, the format in which they are laid out should prove helpful to the beginner to understand how these books are laid out and exactly what they contained--in this edition, all texts are translated from the Latin (on the left side of the page) to English (right side).
That was the idea, anyway: prayer books were customizable and beautiful objects of art that were also status symbols and worked the way calendars do for us today. Usually included was a calendar of widely observed holy days (a concept from which we still have “holidays”) that could be fitted to any year, and could hold a variety of prayers that could be tailored to different events--for different times of the year, for different purposes during a church service--even for birthdays and deaths.
The Murthly Hours
The Murthly Hours are kept by the National Library of Scotland and are in a mixture of languages, including Latin, Old French, and some of the earliest recorded Scottish Gaelic. This book is from the late 13th century and has been completely scanned and placed online. This site is highly recommended.
Petites Heures du Jean de Berry
The Bibliothéque Nationale de France has provided access to a great deal of Jean of Berry’s “small” book of hours on their website. In addition to miniature paintings of each of the 12 months, there are numerous illustrations of biblical events.
Les trés riches heures du Duc de Berry
The Très Riches Heures de Duc de Berry is a 15th century example commissioned by the same duke of Berry. It is not completely integrated online but the most elaborate miniatures have been scanned and linked here.
A Hypertext Book of Hours
Though the texts and miniatures are drawn chiefly from a 16th century book, the format in which they are laid out should prove helpful to the beginner to understand how these books are laid out and exactly what they contained--in this edition, all texts are translated from the Latin (on the left side of the page) to English (right side).
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