Medieval Manuscripts: From the Stark Collections
Medieval Manuscripts: From the Stark Collections
November 19, 2011 – February 25, 2012
This exhibition features four medieval Books of Hours from the Stark Museum of Art collections. Each is open to a glorious hand-painted illumination. The exhibition explores manuscript making. It includes an educational area and a tablet computer station where viewers simulate turning Book pages to view other illustrations. Medieval Manuscripts highlights Christmas images.
The Books of Hours in this exhibition provide a view into a world of the past. These prayer books especially highlight two aspects of medieval life. They point to the significant role of the Church and religion in European life. The devotional imagery includes scenes from the Christmas story, such as the Adoration of the Magi. The Books also show the cultural interest in objects of beauty during the Middle Ages. French, Dutch, and Flemish artists painted the illustrations in the four books, which date from the fifteenth to the early sixteenth centuries. Each Book of Hours was made by hand by workshop craftsmen using precious materials. Pages were painted with rich decorative details.
The exhibition explores the process of making a manuscript with a display of the types of materials used and descriptions of the methods. Visitors can view the parchment material used for the books’ pages, the expensive mineral lapis lazuli that was used for blue paint, and the gold leaf used to create the luminous effects. The exhibition displays the tools used for writing in the Middle Ages and shows how medieval books were constructed.
The educational area has hands-on activities especially for children. The tablet computer station contains digital imagery of illustrations from the Books of Hours, so the visitor can use it to simulate turning the pages of the Books to see other illuminations.
Selected Works
Ornament - Adoration of the Magi
Holiday Exhibit Celebration
Drop-In Art Activities
Click on a thumbnail image to view a larger image of the art featured on the selected works page.