For those who live in or visit New York City, a little known gem worth checking out is a mini-museum inside the New York Public Library in midtown, next to Bryant Park. It is a single room, called "Treasures". Here's an illuminated manuscript from the 1300's [1].
I thought this was the St John’s Illuminated Bible a much more comprehensive and awe inspiring work out of the St John’s abbey in Minnesota.
Its a beautiful and modern interpretation of how an illuminated work would be done today. Even has Jesus wearing jeans.
Each bible is commissioned and done by hand, so a bit more than a $35 book the link is referring to.
Brought Robert Crumb's Book of Genesis to my mind. Maybe not your mind.
In an era where handwriting has atrophied significantly (read: mine especially), I am heartened to see such precision and artistry.
I was interested in calligraphy since a young age, by having my brothers friends father being a very famous calligrapher as well as an interest in illuminated manucripts.
I was in LA and wanted to visit the Getty to just see the building, when we found out that there was an exhibit on illuminated manuscripts. I spent an hour looking at the archicture and the rest of the time looking at the entire exhibit, until the staff insisted that we must leave. Sorry. I absolutely lost all track of time.
Some of artist's work: https://www.calligrafee.com/en/gallery/
She also did an illuminated psalter in French, that one is available by special order only it seems: https://www.calligrafee.com/en/illuminated-psalter/
It only costs £35! Here I was expecting hundreds, thousands!
How elaborate or precious can it be, if this costs about the same as a typical mass-produced Bible?
a catholic version of this would be great
I wonder if this article was about an illuminated quran if it would have reached HN front page.
Religious scriptures for sale feels really weird on HN either way.
That is indeed stunning. John is the most poetic of the Gospels. The King James translation isn't especially accurate, but it's powerful. It deserves a good illuminated edition.
I'd love a set of annotations of the inspirations for each illumination. Medieval illuminations are heavily coded and full of allusions that would go over my head.