SCRC Exhibition: "The Making of the Medieval Book"

Curated by Irina Savinetskaya, Special Collections Research Center curator of early to pre-20th century, the exhibition showcases SCRC’s collection of predominantly Western European medieval manuscripts from the 13^th to the 16^th centuries, alongside examples of bookmaking from Persia, Japan and Ethiopia. The exhibition also features early printed and modern books inspired by the medieval book.

Medieval manuscripts have long fascinated the public with their hand-painted illuminations and decorated bindings. Often viewed as esoteric, precious works of art, they can seem largely inaccessible to all but specialists. Much more than treasures to be gazed upon, medieval manuscripts are dynamic and unique objects that hold a variety of stories, including about the natural and animal worlds, trade, religious movements and the everyday lives of their makers and owners. By examining how medieval books were made, used and reused by various individuals and communities, along with their place in modern imagination and book design, the exhibition explores the storied history behind the making of the medieval book.