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The Oxford Bestiarium [bestiary ]
Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms. Ashmole
1511, Southern England,
12th Century
Published in 1982. Complete colour
facsimile edition of the 244
pp. (105 + 17 fol.) and of the inner end pages
in original size
280 x 180 mm. The all leather binding is a faithful replica
of a
Romanic binding, presently in the possession of Austrian
National
Library in Vienna. All folios are cut according to the
original.
+ Commentary volume: Transcription and translation of the
text
into German by F. Unterkircher, Vienna, scholarly commentary
in
preparation. Limited edition. with fantastic animal pictures on
rich
gold leaf. Bestiaries, illustrated books of animals, whose
moralistic
contents relate to selected biblical texts, were
highly popular in the late
12th century. ther Oxford manuscript
probably ranks among the finest examples
of its kind. The
magnificent codex, richly embellished with gold leaf, not
only
exceeds itself with its marvellous luminous opaque colour
painting
and clear depiction of animals, plants and human beings,
but also in its
predilection for serene symmetry, refined
ornament and frequent use of
carefully executed diaper-patterned
backgrounds. The pictures are irregularly
dispersed throughout
the text. According to our modern conception, the
animals often
depict a surreal view of nature: a crocodile with a
serpent's
head and bird's feet, a horned panther with rather
arbitrary
colouring are but a few examples of an astonishing
iconography
which, far from naturalistic sketches, was based on the
free
interpretation of literary models. The book contains an
overwhelming
wealth of animal depictions: for example: A
magnificent many-finned whale
catches fish, while misguided
sailors, thinking it to be an island, try to
land on its back.
All in all 130 miniatures within only 105 pages
illustrate
several chapters on nature and the qualities of animals;
birds,
snakes, worms, fish, trees, flintstones, as well as the nature
of
mankind. Of special interest is the illustration of Genesis in
the
beginning of the book, which is set amongst exceptionally
enlarged and boldly
narrative painted scenes.William Wright,
vicar of High Wycombe; William Mann;
Sir Peter Mancroft; John
Tradescant; Elias Ashmole; Oxford
University
£ 595
We also have one copy of the facsimile without
the commentary
volume at £ 475
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