Illuminated Illustrations of the Bible Copied from Select Manuscripts of the Middle Ages

6B J. O. Westwood. Hand Colored Illustrations. London: W. Smith, 1846. First and only edition.

Notes

Throughout the Middle Ages, before the introduction of movable-type printing in Europe during the fifteenth century, biblical manuscripts were painstakingly copied by hand, often by skilled scribes working in monasteries and religious workshops. These sacred texts were frequently embellished with elaborate decorative initials, intricate borders, miniature paintings, and brilliant pigments enriched with gold and silver leaf, a practice known as manuscript illumination. Such artistry transformed religious books into magnificent objects of devotion, combining sacred scripture with extraordinary craftsmanship. The illustrations depicted biblical narratives, saints, and symbolic imagery, serving both to beautify the manuscripts and communicate religious teachings to readers. With the arrival of the printing press, these labor-intensive traditions gradually gave way to mechanically reproduced texts and illustrations, although early printers often imitated the appearance of handwritten manuscripts. The nineteenth-century revival of interest in medieval art inspired scholars and publishers to reproduce these remarkable works, preserving their intricate designs and brilliant colors for a wider audience.

This book is a beautifully produced collection of medieval biblical artwork assembled by John Obadiah Westwood (1805–1893), a distinguished English antiquarian, naturalist, and scholar of illuminated manuscripts. The volume features an elaborate illuminated title page and 39 richly colored lithographic plates reproducing illustrations from medieval manuscripts, many heightened with gold and finished by hand to imitate the brilliance of the originals. The work demonstrates the remarkable capabilities of nineteenth-century color lithography while preserving the decorative traditions of medieval bookmaking. 

Description 

Dark brown leather boards with blind stamped designs to both boards and spine. Gilt lettering to spines. Gilt turn-ins. Hand colored illuminations throughout. Painstakingly crafted and beautifully maintained. Spine rebacked and some rubbing to extremities. Otherwise very fine condition.