Specimens from a Study Collection of Illuminated Manuscript Facsimiles

January 3 – February 27, 2011

This exhibit showcases some of the many examples of illuminated manuscript facsimiles acquired by the Kohler Art Library over the past 40 years.   The term facsimile derives from the Latin fac simile meaning “made alike.”  A facsimile attempts to replicate a document in a copy that is as true to the original as possible in terms of scale, color, condition (including defects), and other qualities.  Facsimiles are important resources that provide students and scholars the opportunity to examine the hand illumination, lettering styles, and content of original manuscripts that are not readily available.  The facsimiles on display, and others in the collection, form a study collection that directly supports Prof. Tom Dale’s spring 2011 course in art history: AH 415 (Image and Word in Medieval Manuscripts), in addition to other courses in medieval art and culture.

Curated by Lyn Korenic, Director, Kohler Art Library.

Image from:  Trierer Apokalypse.  Graz: Akademische Druck- und Verlagsanstalt, c1974-1975.