Art is a journey into the most unknown thing of all - oneself. Nobody knows his own frontiers… I don’t think I’d ever want to take a road if I knew where it led.

Louis Kahan
badesaba: كتاب عجائب المخلوقات وغرائب الموجودات Aquarius and Piscis, from : Marvels of Things Created and Miraculous Aspects of Things Existing by Qazwīnī
Black Book of Hours 15th Century - Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, M. 493
The British Library ‘A Humanistic Gift for Henry VIII’ Geoffrey Chamber, Surveyor-General at Henry VIII’s court, commissioned this opulent humanistic manuscript in Italy as a gift to the King. He engaged some of the most renowned Italian craftsman of the day to do the work. A scribe of the papal chancery, Ludovico Vicentino degli Arrighi wrote the text and the famous Florentine illuminator Attavante degli Attavanti adorned it with borders and initials. The text opens with a portrait of the author and an elaborate border, containing the arms of Henry VIII. Pandolfo Collenuccio, Apologue, and Lucian of Samosata, Dialogues Rome and Florence, c. 1509–17 Made for Henry VIII Royal 12 C. viii, f. 4 ©The British Library Board
The British Library ‘The Wisdom of King Solomon’ Four scenes exemplifying King Solomon’s wisdom mark the beginning of Proverbs in this royal Bible historiale, a splendidly illustrated version of the Bible in French. In the left column Solomon teaches his son and adjudicates between two women who each claim maternity of a child. The right column recounts a story that is not in the Bible: three sons dispute the inheritance of their father and when Solomon commands them to shoot arrows into the father’s corpse, the true inheritor refuses. Bible historiale: Genesis to the Apocalypse Paris, 1356 (vol. 1), 1357 (vol. 2) Owned by Charles II Royal 17 E vii, vol. 2, f. 1 © The British Library Board
The British Library ‘King Edgar before the Heavenly King’ This charter, presented unusually in the form of a richly illuminated book, commemorates the introduction of Benedictine rule in 964 at New Minster, Winchester, by King Edgar. Flanked by New Minster’s patron saints, Edgar offers this book to Christ, enthroned above and held aloft by angels. Though the painting emphasises the splendour of the heavenly and earthly figures, Edgar subordinates himself to Christ here and in the accompanying gold-lettered inscription: ‘Thus he who established the stars sits on a lofty throne. King Edgar, prostrate and venerating, adores him.’ The New Minster Charter Winchester, 966 Presented to the nation in 1702 Cotton Vespasian A. viii, f. 2v © The British Library Board The Christian Monarch 700-1400 The manuscripts in this section span the history of England from a century after the Anglo-Saxons’ introduction to Christianity to the late Middle Ages. [22 items]
Flat astrolabe and moving indicator to determine planet influence Liber Physiognomiae fine art facsimile edition The Liber Physiognomiae is a miscellany of medieval astrological and medical treatises, reviewed at the dawning of the humanistic age. The author of the texts, the illuminator and the purchaser are still unknown. The descriptions of the days and of the four seasons are followed by the twelve signs of the zodiac, one per page, drawn together with the text of the horoscopes outlining the character and the positive and negative events in the lives of men and women in relation to the period of birth. The water-coloured figures at the bottom of the page represent the influence of planets on mankind. http://www.codicesillustres.com/catalogue/de_sphaera/
The Book of Felicity is an illuminated manuscript made in the Ottoman Empire in 1582. Commissioned by Sultan Murad III, who ruled the empire from 1574 to 1595, its text was translated from Arabic and all its miniatures were apparently directed by the famous master Ustad ‘Osman, who undoubtedly painted the opening series of images related to the signs of the zodiac1. ‘Osman, the head of the painters at the Seraglio workshop from 1570 onwards, created a style renowned for its lifelike portraits that influenced other artists in Murad’s court. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Book_of_Felicity http://www.moleiro.com/en/miscellanea/the-book-of-felicity/miniatura/1605 http://bibliodyssey.blogspot.com/2005/11/ottoman-felicity.html
Oxford Bible pictures 13th Century - The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore, Ms. W.106; Marmottan Museum, Paris http://www.faksimile.de/werk/Oxforder_Bibelbilder.php?we_objectID=42 Fol 22r: One side of the double-sided scene pulling the Israelites through the Red Sea. Moses is recognized by the horns.
Crusaders Bible 13th Century - Pierpont Morgan Library, New York, M 638; fragments of the Bibliothèque nationale de France, Paris, Nouv.acq.lat.2294, and the J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, 83.MA.55 (formerly Ludwig Collection) http://www.faksimile.de/werk/Kreuzritterbibel.php?we_objectID=59
The Peterborough bestiary : Cambridge, Corpus Christi College, Parker Library, MS 53 http://www.faksimile.de/werk/Bestiarium_aus_Peterborough.php?we_objectID=13
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