Illuminations: Private Lives of Medieval Kings.
Watch Episode Two on iplayer - Dr. Janina Ramirez finds out that magnificent manuscripts like the Bedford Hours, taken as war booty from the French royal family, were adapted for the education of English princes.
Royal Manuscripts: The Genius of Illumination, displaying The British Library’s unique collection of medieval and Renaissance illuminated manuscripts, is on show until 13th March 2012. Collected by the kings and queens of England over 800 years, these treasures are outstanding examples of the decorative and figurative painting of the era. Amongst the manuscripts in this superb new exhibition is the Bedford Book of Hours, of which a limited edition facsimile, bound in red velvet is available from Addison Publications. Find out more about the Bedford Hours in Episode Two of the current BBC4 series Illuminations: Private Lives of Medieval Kings.
To celebrate this stunning British Library exhibition we have a very special offer on the facsimile of another manuscript painted by the same hand as the Bedford Book of Hours - Gaston Phoebus: The Hunting Book. It was commissioned by Duke Philip the Bold, brother of the bibliophile Duc de Berry. In it, Gaston Phoebus describes the many different ways of hunting different wild animals. He also presents an impressive natural history, which was used as a text book well into the 19th Century.
Gaston Phoebus' Hunting Book is published as a facsimile in an edition limited to 980 hand-numbered copies. There are 87 miniatures showing scenes of courtly life and 126 large decorated initials all richly embellished with gold leaf. The French text is written in a wonderful script and each page is framed by an exuberant border of leaves in red, blue and shining gold. This is a book that was painted by one of the most skilled artists working at the French Court in Paris in the early 15th century.
The binding of this edition is based on a blue silk binding from the library of King Louis XII. The fine silk was especially woven for this purpose and embroidered with golden lilies, the emblem of the French royal dynasty. The facsimile is accompanied by a commentary volume and both are presented in a clear acrylic case.
To find out more about the special offer on this unique publication please contact us by 13th March 2012 using the contact form, click here, or call +44 (0) 207 602 1848
