The riches of kings: ‘Royal Manuscripts’ at the British Library

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Larry Silver looks at the catalogue of a major London show

Produced for an exhibition (closes 13 March 2012) of the same name, this full-colour catalogue offers a splendid introduction to its courtly subject.  The book's designation of 'royal' manuscripts slightly exaggerates the scope of the exhibition, which basically focuses on English kings, although its sheer size offers eloquent testimony to their importance for this rich (in all senses of that word) topic.  A millennium of kings provided patronage, and John Lowden's analysis spans royals from Constantine to Henry VIII.  Scot McKendrick focuses more narrowly on late mediaeval manuscripts that stemmed from the Continent and found their way into English collections.  Kathleen Doyle concentrates on the accumulation of the English royal collections during the period of the Old Royal Library. 

Six themes structure the organization of the catalogue section.  First, 'The Christian Monarch' broadly considers religious manuscripts – initially gospels, bibles, and psalters – from Anglo-Saxon to Tudor monarchs.  Outstanding examples of later mediaeval books of hours are also illustrated with full-page reproductions: Bohun Psalter and Hours (late 14th century; no. 20); Beaufort/ Beauchamp Hours (c. 1440/43; no. 25).  One remarkable display is a pair of precious fragments of the venerable Cotton Genesis (c. 500; no. 46), one of the most influential pictorial cycles of the period, unfortunately nearly destroyed entirely by a fire at Ashburnham House (1731). 

Part Two concentrates on Edward IV and his link through marriage to books, chiefly chronicles and romances, produced in the South Netherlands, which provided the foundation for the Old Library.  Part Three, 'How to be a King,' offers ‘works of instruction and advice’, mirrors of princes and model lives, chiefly from the 15th century, including Hoccleve's Regiment of Princes (c. 1411–13; no. 65).  But this category is unstable and encompasses bestiaries, psalters (including the magnificent Queen Mary Psalter, c. 1310–20, no. 85), as well as Apocalypse manuscripts.  Mediaeval learning is explored in Part Four, ‘The World's Knowledge’, highlighted by celebrated encyclopaedic authors (Isidore of Seville, Rabanus Maurus, Bartholomeus Anglicus, Matthew Paris).

'Royal Identity' follows as Part Five, in the form of English histories, genealogies, and even the royal coronation order of Westminster (Liber regalis, c. 1380/1400; no. 122).  The Roman de la Rose allegory and several romances fill out this section.  Finally, continental books of importance to England conclude the display, highlighted by the Bedford Hours (Paris, c. 1410/30; no. 142), the Shrewsbury Book of chivalric romances and practices (1444-45; no. 143), and the Egerton Hours, highlighted by added miniatures (c. 1440) by artists from the circle of the great author and bibliophile René d'Anjou (no. 144).  This section also includes a celebrated South Netherlands choirbook of Petrus Alamire made for Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon (c. 1513-25; no. 153), already the subject of its own learned musicological publication (Herbert Kellman, ed., Ghent, 1999).

Such are the riches of this colour-filled catalogue, whose entries will inform scholars (through its small-print bibliography at the end of the volume) and whose informative essays and vivid reproductions will delight anyone who shares the taste of English kings for these exquisitely fashioned images. The writers are distinguished manuscript specialists: McKendrick,  Head of History and Classics at the British Library; Doyle, Curator of Illuminated Manuscripts in the same institution; and  Lowden, a distinguished mediaevalist at the Courtauld Institute of Art. 

Royal Manuscripts. The Genius of Illumination  by Scot Mckendrick, John Lowden and Kathleen Doyle is published by the British Library, 2011. 448 pp. 300 colour illus, £25.00 paperback, $40.00 hard back. ISBN 978-0-7123-5815-6 paperback; 9780712358163 hardback