The Most Beautiful Bibles - Book Review
A Study of the World's Rarest and Most Important Medieval Bibles
Nov 18, 2008
- The Most Beautiful Bibles
- Christian Gastgeber and Stephan Füssel, Editor: Andreas Fingernagel
- Taschen GmbH, 2008
- 320 pages, 24.5 x 37 cm, full colour
- ISBN: 978-3-8365-0299-3 (Hardback)
- Price £16.99
Taschen has recently celebrated 25 years as publishers of high quality books covering subjects from Hopper to Van Gogh, from Sixties Design to Graphic Design Now. One of the most outstanding books published to celebrate the anniversary is The Most Beautiful Bibles, a study of some of the rarest and most important medieval bibles held by the Austrian National Library.
The Editor and Authors
The editor and authors of this publication are well-qualified having all been involved in history and archaeology.
The editor, Andreas Fingernagel, is Director of the Collection of Manuscripts and Early Prints at the Austrian National Library. He is co-editor, with Christian Gastgeber (see below), of In the Beginning Was the World: The Power and Glory of Illuminated Bibles.
Christian Gastgeber joined the staff of the Byzantine Section of the Austrian Academy of Sciences in 1994 and received his doctorate in 2001. He is editor-in-chief of Biblos, a publication that explores the history of books, libraries, script, and typography issued by the Austrian National Library.
Stephan Füssel is Director of the Institute of the History of the Book at the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz. He is author of several books including The Luther Bible of 1493 and Hartmann Schedel: Chronicle of the World - 1534, (both Taschen publications), as well as several publications on book printing, production and distribution from the 18th to 20th centuries.
About the Book
The book opens with a chapter, by Stephen Füssel, devoted to bible production in medieval monasteries. The author examines the rise of monasteries across Europe and their role in the production of books during the period from 500 to 1500 AD.
In the following chapter, From Royal Collection to National Library, Andreas Fingernagel looks at how the Austrian National Library developed. The author examines the many and varied places from whence the manuscripts came.
Bibles from Every Epoch of the Middle Ages
The Most Beautiful Bibles includes bibles from every epoch of the Middle Ages including magnificent manuscripts such as the Vienna Genesis, the Carolingian Bible (also known as the "Rado" Bible), the Admont Giant Bible and the Wenceslas Bible. Every manuscript is set in its historical context, its history and ownership is explored, the script and illustrations are explained in minute and fascinating detail.
The Layout of Beautiful Bibles
The text features essays by Andreas Fingernagel, Stephan Füssel and Christian Gastgeber, supported by a team of 15 eminent historians. The essays fall into six sections:
- Textual traditions and editorial revisions: Bibles from their beginnings to the standardized Bibles of the 13th century
- Magnificence and grandeur - Luxury Bible manuscripts
- Biblical exegesis from the Church Fathers to Scholasticism
- Medieval versions of history in world chronicles and History bibles
- The juxtaposition of the Old and New Testaments in typological picture Bibles
- Bible manuscripts of the Jewish and Eastern Orthodox faiths
Fascinating, Informative and Beautiful to Look At
The book has been produced on very good quality heavy duty paper. High quality reproductions are enhanced by plenty of close-up picture details. These are accompanied by fascinating and scholarly, yet easy to understand essays, accessible to both students and scholars, or anyone with a love of beautiful books. All technical terms are explained in the Glossary.
This highly affordable book is fascinating, informative and beautiful to look at. Details of other Taschen publications can be obtained from Taschen Books.
