Before setting off to invade Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, King Louis IX of France commissioned the best Parisian book painters to craft a large picture bible with extraordinary battle scenes. The manuscript is now considered a jewel of Gothic illumination.
With 283 Old Testament scenes as monumental as wall paintings, King Louis hoped to emphasize the importance of the Holy War against Islam. The biblical episodes depict 13th-century costumes, armor, and weapons down to the smallest detail.
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As many as six artists worked on the King’s Bible, each with a unique style, resulting in a multifaceted volume richly decorated with various kinds of gold, from gold leaf to the intense shades of burnished gold.
It was not until 1300 that Latin text was added to the manuscript, probably upon the wish of Charles of Anjou. Three centuries later the codex was sent by Cardinal Maciejowski, Bishop of Krakow, as a gift to Shah Abbas, King of Persia, who had captions added in the Persian language.
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Our thanks to Facsimile Finder for helping us create this post. You can learn more about this manuscript and see more images by visiting their website.
Please also check out their social media – Twitter, Instagram and their Youtube Channel, which features dozens of videos about medieval manuscripts.
Before setting off to invade Egypt during the Seventh Crusade, King Louis IX of France commissioned the best Parisian book painters to craft a large picture bible with extraordinary battle scenes. The manuscript is now considered a jewel of Gothic illumination.
With 283 Old Testament scenes as monumental as wall paintings, King Louis hoped to emphasize the importance of the Holy War against Islam. The biblical episodes depict 13th-century costumes, armor, and weapons down to the smallest detail.
As many as six artists worked on the King’s Bible, each with a unique style, resulting in a multifaceted volume richly decorated with various kinds of gold, from gold leaf to the intense shades of burnished gold.
It was not until 1300 that Latin text was added to the manuscript, probably upon the wish of Charles of Anjou. Three centuries later the codex was sent by Cardinal Maciejowski, Bishop of Krakow, as a gift to Shah Abbas, King of Persia, who had captions added in the Persian language.
Our thanks to Facsimile Finder for helping us create this post. You can learn more about this manuscript and see more images by visiting their website.
Please also check out their social media – Twitter, Instagram and their Youtube Channel, which features dozens of videos about medieval manuscripts.
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