Exploring the world of books at Oxford
A personal encounter with MS. Lat. liturg. f. 4 by Marlene Schilling For my generation it is perfectly normal to meet a partner first online, with dating apps on the rise during the pandemic – but the ultimate desire is to meet in person. This is the story of such a longed-for encounter in the flesh, …
Sebastian Dows Miller on his History of the Book project, increasing awareness of the Bestiary in Merton College Library, MS 249.
It is currently Week 0 of Hilary term 2021, so it’s time to get to work on our project for the History of the Book module. Holly and I have decided to work together to produce an online edition of a manuscript. We both love Dante’s Divina Commedia so we have decided to work on MS.Canon.Ital.108, which is a gorgeous late 14th Century copy of this work.
by Charlotte Ross Manuscript decoration enhanced the appearance of a text, increasing the value of the book and bringing a sense of status. The most illustriously decorated manuscripts ooze wealth and sophistication, acting as a statement of the owner’s importance. Even within the manuscript itself, these decorations establish a hierarchy amongst the text, identifying the …
Dr Sven Limbeck (Deputy Director, manuscripts and special collections, Herzog August Bibliothek Wolfenbüttel) spoke on Wednesday, 18 November 2020 at the Michaelmas Term Lecture of the Queen’s College “Centre for Manuscript and Text Cultures” In recent years the analysis of watermarks has become a standard method in dating paper manuscripts. This was made possible by the …
by Charlotte Ross Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS. Fr. e. 32 is a beautiful Old French manuscript that dates to the 12th century. Contained in this volume are the Chevalerie Vivien and an incomplete rendition of Aliscans, two poems from the Chanson de Geste tradition, which deals with French crusading narratives against the Moors and Saracens …
Summary of a Show and Tell session for Henrike Lähnemann’s History of the Book students from the Faculty of Medieval and Modern Languages with Dr Andrew Dunning, R.W. Hunt Curator of Medieval Manuscripts at the Bodleian Library.
Henrike Lähnemann took part in a webinar series organised by the ICON (The Institute of Conservation) Paper Conservation group – a fascinating series which started with two papers by Bodleian Library conservators; you can watch most of the previous talks on the “Conservation Together At Home” website and follow the hashtag #ConservationTogetherAtHome on twitter About …
At the last session of the History of the Book class for Michaelmas Term, the group officially launched this blog. Watch the short video-clip with reflections on what “studying History of the Book” means for all of us. …and – as a Christmas special – a DIY video on how to make your own (mock-)medieval …