#Medieval Libraries

[nickyfrancis24]

World’s oldest libraries

The World’s Oldest Libraries Article Title: World’s oldest libraries Author: Nicky Sinha Francis Genres: Article A heaven of books When your world revolves around books, all you can think of a cozy beautiful place only for your books and you. For others, it’s point to laugh, but for you it’s your passion and your own personal space where you can escape from your stress and pain that you go…

[wednesdaysfullofwoe]

[like-i-need-a-hole-in-my-head]

queck

[rosieandthemoon]

Book of Hours. French, 1400’s

[snailspng]

Creatures from the Luttrell Psalter (c. 1320-1340) PNGs, part 1.

(Source)

[medievalistsnet]

The Book of Marvels: Imagining the Medieval World at the Morgan Library - see these and more at their new exhibition. Details at:

[escapismsworld]

Have you noticed these windows?

These images showcases a beautiful set of old, possibly medieval or early modern windows, which contain distinct "bullseye" panes. These "bullseyes" were a byproduct of a historical glass-making technique called crown glass production. During this process, molten glass would be spun into a disk, and the central portion, where the rod had been attached, would form a thick, rounded distortion — the bullseye. Originally considered flawed or less desirable compared to the smooth outer edges, these panes were often sold at a lower cost.

The bullseye feature is now cherished for its historical charm and rustic character. Because modern methods of glass production allow for flawless, uniform sheets of glass, this style of window pane is no longer deliberately replicated, giving such windows a unique, irreplaceable quality. The reflection of the light in these windows, along with the subtle distortions from the bullseyes, adds a sense of warmth and antiquity to the building.

In modern settings, these features are often sought after by those who appreciate craftsmanship and history. The uneven, hand-crafted appearance of these windows contrasts with today's mass-produced glass, making each pane unique and full of character, adding not just aesthetic value but also a tangible connection to the past.

[eli-zab3th]

Abbey Library of Saint Gall, St. Gall, Switzerland

Pictures by @eli-zab3th

[arthistoryanimalia]

For #ManuscriptMonday / #MedievalMonday: a cute little mole in a 13th c. English bestiary! British Library Harley MS 3244 fol 49v (England, c. 1236-1250)

[lionofchaeronea]

King Arthur. Illustration by an unknown artist from a 15th century Welsh manuscript of Geoffrey of Monmouth's History of the Kings of Britain (Historia Regum Britanniae). Now in the National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth. Photo credit: National Library of Wales.

[uispeccoll]

Charles M. Hagin, former researcher at the University of Iowa, described this "Strang Pope Book" in our collection as a "reader's digest of divinely inspired prophecies."

It was written around 1582-1585, and it's full of papal seals and illustrations of popes in prophetic visions. These prophecies use lots of symbolism in the images; one depicts a pope as a dragon on fire with a weasel swallowing a sword for a tail. The exact meaning of this is not explicit, but it's probably safe to assume that it wasn't very good; the caption reads "Terribilies es et quis resistet tibi," which Hagin translated as: "You are terrible and who will resist you?" That's not really an idea that readers would like to associate with a pope!

Find out more about this wonderful book by reading more of Charles Hagin's work in xMMs.Misc2 research material.

--Joy C.

[wednesdaysfullofwoe]

[shisasan]

Sent to a lady’s house attached to a frond of fern which had taken on autumn colours. SKKS XI: 1027 -- a poem from the Shinkokinshū anthology (early 13th century), written by The Hanazono Minister of the Left (Fujiwara no Kintsune 1171–1244)

[itsybitsy-arthistory]

The Morgan Library and Museum

The Book of Marvels: Imagining the Medieval World

Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, Traponee (Sri Lanka) in the Book of the Marvels of the World, c. 1460-65, France, Angers. Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum. MS 124. fol. 32r.

Master of the Geneva Boccaccio, Arabia, in the Book of Marvels of the World, c. 1460, France, Angers, Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.461, fol. 10r.

Worksop Bestiary, c. 1185, England, Lincoln (?). Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.81, fol. 51v.

Konrad von Megenberg (1309-1374), The Book of Nature. Augsburg: Johann Bämler, 1475. Morgan Library & Museum, PML 136

Hanns Rüst, Map of the World. Germany, Augsburg, ca. 1480. Morgan Library & Museum, PML 19921

Conjoined Twins, in Abridged Divine Histories. France, Amiens, ca. 1300. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.751, fol. 52v.

Abridged Divine Histories. France, Amiens, ca. 1300. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.751, fol. 53r.

Worksop Bestiary. England, Lincoln (?), ca. 1185. Morgan Library & Museum, MS M.81, fol. 52r.

[muspeccoll]

640-year-old fly, anyone?

We're not sure how long this fly has been in this 14th-century notary's notebook, but it was a favorite among the students who spotted it in class a few weeks ago.

La Turade, Bernard de. [Notarial Registry]. 1383-1393. VAULT DC95.A2 N6 1383