#österreichische nationalbibliothek

[uwmspeccoll]

Easter Moralized

This Easter (which, btw, in 2024 is also International Transgender Day of Visibility) we explore the gilded pages of the Vienna Bible Moralisée (moralizing bible), of which we hold the first full-color facsimile published in 1973. The Vienna Bible Moralisée is also known as Vienna 2554, referencing its current place of residence at the Austian National Library in Vienna. One of only three 13th-century moralizing bibles still in existence, this manuscript is an excellent example of the of the ways in which Christians worked to simplify the lessons of the Bible for those that were not theological scholars. Even though they were made to be more accessible, these types of manuscripts were only created for the wealthy class; they needed to understand the Christian Bible and its lessons to ensure that they were (theoretically) promoting moral behavior. Vienna 2554 is thought to have been commissioned by Phillip II Augustus, for his son, Louis VIII or his bride, Blanche of Castile.

The Bible Moralisée is curious for two reasons: it does not actually contain the entire text of the Christian Bible, and it is mostly filled with images, rather than with words. These specific attributes contribute to the accessibility of Christian morals by abbreviating biblical stories and using illuminations to visually represent them.

Interestingly, the designs on the pages of these bibles imitate stained glass representations at the time: the eight medallions placed in columns of four; the inclusion of quatrefoils in between these medallions; the use of vivid colors. This reflection of architectural design in the illuminations may have allowed people to visualize themselves in a church and may have led to more contemplative readings of the text that emphasized the teachings of priests and theologians at the time. One of the most well-known images in these types of bibles is Jesus as architect and creator of the universe. This type is seen on the frontispiece of this moralizing bible: Jesus is holding a compass as he focuses on the creation of the world. Geometry and astronomy were often associated with the divine in the Middle Ages and this viewpoint is well explained in Vanderbilt's Divinity Library website: "God has created the universe after geometric and harmonic principles, to seek these principles was therefore to seek and worship God."

The creation of the moralizing bible also inspired later moralizing versions of books and poetry, like Ovid’s Metamorphoses. These types of moralizing volumes edited and changed parts of the works to make them conform to Christian teachings oft the time.

Our facsimile was published in 1973 by the Akademische Druck- u. Verlagsanstalt in Graz, Austria in an edition of 3,000 copies at the manuscript's original size. To see the original manuscript, you can visit the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Vienna or view the entirety of the manuscript online on their website here.

View more manuscript posts.

– Sarah S., Special Collections Graduate Intern

[garadinervi]

Thomas Bernhard: Alte Meister. Erste Seite des Typoskripts mit Korrekturen [© Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Wien]

[seekers-who-are-lovers]

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Prunksaal (ceremonial hall). One thing I love about living in Vienna is that culture is not confined to a certain class. Many of these museums or historical palaces can be visited for free or have cheaper entrance fees.

[martinstieger-blog]

BILD MACHT POLITIK. Yoichi Okamoto. Ikone der Nachkriegsfotografie - große Sonderausstellung im Prunksaal der Österreichischen Nationalbibliothek

23. November 2023 – 3. März 2024 Europa 1945. Berühmte Fotograf*innen halten in eindrucksvollen Bildern fest, wie Europa aus einem durch das nationalsozialistische Regime entfachten Weltkrieg neu ersteht. Einer von ihnen war der amerikanische Fotograf Yoichi Okamoto (1915–1985), der im Frühjahr 1945 als Militärfotograf nach Europa kam und in Österreich zum persönlichen Fotografen des…

[mioritic]

Rastende jugendliche Bergwanderer in der Umgebung der Plattkofelhütte (Dolomiten), ca. 1930

Young hikers rest in the vicinity of the Plattkofelhütte (Rifugio Sasso Piatto / Plattkofel Refuge), in the Dolomites, ca. 1930

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek

[cuties-in-codices]

ape nursing a little cat

"Stundenbuch der Maria von Burgund", Flanders, ca. 1477

source: Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 1857, fol. 73 verso.

[maniculum]

rate him <3 (Vienna, Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. 13647, fol. 6r)

[Image ID: a serpentine creature inside a round frame with text around the border. Its mouth is open to bite its own tail, revealing a set of human-like teeth. It looks oddly cheerful about the situation. It is also equipped with long ears and some kind of segmented body plan.]

So, this one is from Austria circa 1300, and that's about all I can tell you about it. (If that's disappointing to you, wait for the one I've got queued for tomorrow's Scorpion Sunday -- that's got a long rambling tangent about the manuscript it's in.) That text makes me wish I were better at paleography, because I cannot decipher it for the life of me.

It's certainly a striking creature, though. I like that it's doing the ouroboros thing with its tail, and it certainly looks pleased about it. I'm really not sure what its body covering is here -- I could plausibly read it as fur, feathers, scales, or exoskeleton. I think I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and call it an exoskeleton.

Odd features include the long ears -- this style of ear is very very common in medieval art but I am not aware of any real-world animal that actually has ears like that. They're like rabbit ears but wobbly and with an exaggeratedly-pointed tuft. Also the square nostril is unusual, as are the very human-like eyes and teeth. Quality long pointed tongue, too.

Anyhow, points:

Small Scuttling Beaſtie? ½, its lack of legs prevent it from a proper scuttle.

Pincers? ✘

Exoskeleton or Shell? ✓

Visible Stinger? ✘

Limbs? 0

As for vibes, I'm split on this guy. I find him cute as hell, but keep going back and forth on whether the very human-like grin as he bites his own tail is fun & playful or mildly uncanny. I like him, but I can see how people might find his face unsettling, so he gets a 4.5/5. (This is my first half-point in the Vibes category, but I just felt bad about giving him a plain 4 so I bumped it up.)

Total score:

6 / 10

He's a very good animal, but he is not a scorpion.

[yiddishknights]

Floral marginal illustrations alongside the text of the Nibelungenlied in the Ambraser Heldenbuch, 16th century.

Source: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Cod. Ser. nova 2663

[enigmatypewriter]

(!) The content provided is for educational and informational purposes only. Enigma is strictly against hateful ideologies.

1. Promotion order of RH to the rank of Obergruppenführer and Police General, signed by AH. September 24, 1941.

Source: Heydrich, Lina (1976). Life with a War Criminal.

2. Mention of RH’s appointment as Deputy Reichsprotektor on September 27, 1941. Second page of the VB newspaper from September 28.

Source: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek.

[alwaysalwaysalwaysthesea]

Actress Lotte Mosbacher wearing a sporty intarsia jumper dress by Gerngross, in the November 1928 Moderne Welt.

(source: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek)

[ines2925]

I clearly had too much time on my hands because when I found pictures of the Österreichische Nationalbibliothek in Wien I took last December, I just couldn't shake the feeling they are so Aziraphale-coded!

So I added a little picture of my Aziraphale cosplay and some haiku I wrote for @sohoscribblers and viola.

It is certainly something?

The forbidden fruit.

Your lips made me a sinner

I won't beg for grace

[history-of-fashion]

1904 Adolf Loos (photo by Otto Mayer)

(Österreichische Nationalbibliothek)

[lemaldusiecle]

Mary Warner im Gegenlicht, Heinrich Kühn, 1908. © Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, Bildarchiv, Wien

[lunasloveisgood]

Austrian National Library

photo By Richard Hopkins - Flickr: Österreichische Nationalbibliothek, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19799030

[misas-dead-brother]

GOD I WANT TO GO TO THERE (Österreichische Nationalbibliothek)

[mioritic]

Strážnice Folklore Festival, Czechoslovakia (now Czechia), 1956

Photographed by Erich Lessing (Austrian, 1923-2018)

Österreichische Nationalbibliothek