Bestiary: Being An English Version Of The Bodleian Library, Oxford M.S. Bodley 764
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Very good
Jacket: Slipcase: Good
Pages: Good
From the illuminated cloisters of medieval scholarship emerges one of the most enchanting documents of the Middle Ages — a magnificent English rendering of the Bodleian Library's celebrated manuscript, MS Bodley 764, a richly illustrated compendium of beasts both real and fantastical that captivated the imaginations of monks, nobles, and theologians alike. Translated by Richard Barber, this sumptuous facsimile edition faithfully reproduces all the original miniatures of the manuscript in their full, luminous glory, presenting a world where lions resurrect their cubs with a roar, pelicans feed their young with their own blood, and unicorns surrender only to maidens — each creature a vessel of profound Christian allegory and moral instruction. Bestiaries stand as one of the defining literary and artistic genres of the medieval period, weaving together natural history, classical learning, and spiritual symbolism into a tapestry that reveals how the medieval mind perceived the animal kingdom as a living scripture written by God. Barber's scholarly yet accessible translation honours both the literary integrity of the original Latin text and the breathtaking artistry of its illustrations, making this Folio Society edition a treasure for historians, art lovers, and anyone drawn to the curious beauty of pre-modern thought. What manner of world saw divinity in every claw and wing? Open these pages, and find out.
Author: Richard Barber
Format: Hardback
Published: 1992, The Folio Society
Genre: Myths & legends
Condition remarks:
Book: Very good
Jacket: Slipcase: Good
Pages: Good
From the illuminated cloisters of medieval scholarship emerges one of the most enchanting documents of the Middle Ages — a magnificent English rendering of the Bodleian Library's celebrated manuscript, MS Bodley 764, a richly illustrated compendium of beasts both real and fantastical that captivated the imaginations of monks, nobles, and theologians alike. Translated by Richard Barber, this sumptuous facsimile edition faithfully reproduces all the original miniatures of the manuscript in their full, luminous glory, presenting a world where lions resurrect their cubs with a roar, pelicans feed their young with their own blood, and unicorns surrender only to maidens — each creature a vessel of profound Christian allegory and moral instruction. Bestiaries stand as one of the defining literary and artistic genres of the medieval period, weaving together natural history, classical learning, and spiritual symbolism into a tapestry that reveals how the medieval mind perceived the animal kingdom as a living scripture written by God. Barber's scholarly yet accessible translation honours both the literary integrity of the original Latin text and the breathtaking artistry of its illustrations, making this Folio Society edition a treasure for historians, art lovers, and anyone drawn to the curious beauty of pre-modern thought. What manner of world saw divinity in every claw and wing? Open these pages, and find out.