On the history of Illuminated Manuscripts and their Facsimiles
The Mirror of Human Salvation: A Medieval Bestseller
Let's take a peek at an upcoming facsimile, disclosed at the 2019 Frankfurt Book Fair: the Speculum Humanae Salvationis, one of the most popular illustrated works of the Middle Ages.
Magnificent Feats
Which illuminator gave life to Charles V's military achievements through painting? An Alumina article sheds new light on a collection of 16th-century parchment leaves kept in the British Library.
“Modern Men Like Brevity Above All Things”
Around 1260, the Catalan mystic Ramon Llull set out to convert Muslims to Christianity with mathematical diagrams – he ended up with a logical method that influenced philosophers for generations.
From the Nile Banks to Laser Machines: Making a Papyrus Facsimile
How challenging is it to produce a papyrus facsimile? In this interview, CM Editores tell us all about how they managed to replicate a two-millennia-old treasure that merges ancient Egyptian figurative art and afterlife beliefs: the Papyrus Ani.
New Facsimile Unveiled: The Berry Apocalypse
This year at the Frankfurt Book Fair our friends from Müller & Schindler surprised us with a new, unprecedented manuscript of the Apocalypse made during a troubled time for Europeans: the beginning of the 15th century.
Kneeling Before a Holy Relic – The Royal Psalter of Sainte Chapelle
This is the story of how I got to lay my hands on the original leaves of the Psalter of Blanche of Castile. I knew that the manuscript Müller & Schindler is planning to publish in facsimile is a piece of world history, but I wasn’t expecting such a holy experience.
My Weekend at the 2019 Frankfurt Book Fair
Twelve sketchbooks by Leonardo da Vinci, an augmented reality app, a fairy tale book illustrated by Picasso, and an apocryphal Don Quixote: this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair has so many amazing facsimiles to offer that I can’t choose my favorite!
A Renaissance Exhibition in Book-Form
Ever dreamed of hosting a Renaissance exhibition in your living-room? With the new facsimile by Quaternio Verlag, unveiled at the Frankfurt Book Fair, you can!
A Poet and a Patron Bring Ancient Astrology Back to Life
When we discovered the connection between a 15th-century astrology manuscript and a nearby humanist church, we wanted to see it for ourselves. Follow us on a trip to Renaissance Rimini!
A Peek Into Ottonian Splendor: The Bamberg Apocalypse
Between the 10th and 11th centuries, Germany became the center of European book illumination due to the brightly colored surfaces, sumptuous gold, and spiritual intensity of its manuscripts. Scroll down to see the video!
On the Footsteps of an Ottoman Sultan
Are you ready to travel five centuries back in time? Pack your walking shoes, open our interactive map, and let's follow the Ottoman troops in 16th-century Baghdad, Tabriz, and Aleppo. Scroll down to see the video!
Poems in Bloom: Unraveling a Sultan’s Quest for Love
Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent was not just a powerful statesman, but also a sensitive and emotional poet: in the Muhibbî Dîvânı manuscript, his verses are encased within an intricate artwork made of 370 different flower and plant patterns. Scroll down to see the video!
Istanbul Through the Eyes of an Ottoman Miniaturist
If you ever wondered what Constantinople looked like in the 16th century, check out this Ottoman-era manuscript, as kaleidoscopic as the city itself. You can even compare past and present with our interactive map!
Fashion Stylists in Miniature
If you think you have already seen the strangest outfits in the world, check out these medieval clothes and accessories, some of which were considered "inventions of the devil" by the Church.
The Jewel in the Crown
King Martin I of Aragon (1356-1410) was so fond of art he supported the creation of paintings and manuscripts even in periods of financial distress. This Alumina article tells us more about his breviary, an exquisite example of international Gothic style.
