Description
The Holy Scripture as a guideline for Christian Life has always its firm place in the liturgy and spiritual reading – as well as cultural heritage of humanity it occupies a very important position. Not only for church dignitaries, but also for secular rulers, the bible belonged to the most valuable possessions. Numerous prayer books were made especially for kings and other aristocrats, provided with luxury bindings and book illuminations heightened with gold, from renowned artists.
Hence, this richly illustrated bible edition contains magnificent representatives from unique medieval manuscripts, which visualise text passages of the Old and New Testament. 356, partially gilded miniatures on 1156 pages bear – beside a high-quality print of the biblical text – testimony to the book art in the Middle Ages. They document the artistic skills, dedication and appreciation by which the “Book of Books” was supplied. This edition contains miniatures from significant public and spiritual European and American libraries, as well as some rare treasures from private collections.
The most famous manuscripts, which are part of this extraordinary edition, belong to the St Albans Psalter from the cathedral’s library of Hildesheim, the Wenceslas Bible and the Gothic Picture Bible from the Austrian National Library, the Missal of Stammheim from the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, the de Lisle Psalter and the Bedford Hours from the British Library, the Hamilton Bible from the Berlin Museum of Prints and Drawings, the Psalter of Saint Louis from the Bibliothèque nationale de France, the Missal of Salzburg from the Bavarian State Library, the Bible of Federico da Montefeltro and various other bibles, missals and books of hours from the Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
Also worth mentioning are some of the famous miniature painters who have immortalised their mastery in many of the pictures included here, such as Simon Bening, Berthold Furtmeyr, Diebold Lauber, Jean Fouquet or Pacino di Bonaguida, although the virtuosity of the many anonymous illuminators should not be overlooked either.
Another special feature is the family tree at the end of the book, which you can fill in with your family details, as well as the border decoration as a guide, which is different for each book of the Bible.
This edition – which is being published in the Holy Year of Mercy – is particularly appreciated thanks to the foreword dedicated by His Holiness Pope Francis himself.
Even more important than the material value is the spiritual one: the personal blessing of pope Francis accompanies this richly decorated and complete edition of the Holy Scripture. A part of the sales is donated for charitable purposes, namely a children’s hospital in Africa. In the autumn of 2016 we had the pleasure to hand the edition with number 1 personally to pope Francis. Read here more about this encounter.
