For the fifth consecutive year, the GVUO Library has hosted the lecture series The Artwork as a Source of Knowledge about Life in the Middle Ages, offering the public insights into selected medieval visual sources and medieval thought. In his lectures, historian Marek Zágora has presented a wide range of richly illuminated manuscripts, the originals of which are often stored in secure vaults and rarely displayed. For this reason, Marek Zágora decided to collaborate with GVUO on a unique exhibition that introduces some of the finest examples of medieval manuscript illumination to a broader audience.

Visitors will have a rare opportunity to view the most beautiful illuminations from the Très Riches Heures of the Duke of Berry (calendar month miniatures), the Bible of Wenceslas IV, and the most luxurious manuscript of the Golden Bull of Charles IV. These manuscripts will be presented in the form of high-quality facsimiles and facsimile sheets, loaned by private collectors and the Austrian publisher ADEVA, which published complete facsimiles of both the Golden Bull and the Bible of Wenceslas IV. A smaller part of the exhibition will be regularly rotated.

Although the private library of John, Duke of Berry, could not rival the royal library of Charles V the Wise in volume, it contained genuine treasures that rank among the most beautiful medieval manuscripts due to their elaborate decoration. The most exquisite of these is undoubtedly the Très Riches Heures, especially the often-reproduced calendar month illuminations.

Although the exact size of Wenceslas IV’s manuscript collection is unknown, it is certain that it was one of the largest in Central Europe. Today, only about ten manuscripts can be confidently identified as originating from his royal library. The highlights include the monumental, albeit unfinished, multi-volume Bible of Wenceslas IV, and a unique copy of the Golden Bull of Charles IV. The originals are now held in the Austrian National Library in Vienna.

The exhibition will be accompanied by two lectures by Marek Zágora. The first, On the Beauty of the Autumn of the Middle Ages I, will take place on Tuesday, 2 April 2013, and the second, On the Beauty of the Autumn of the Middle Ages II, on Tuesday, 23 April 2013 – both at 4 p.m. in the GVUO Library. The lectures will provide a deeper introduction to the exhibited facsimiles and individual sheets. Additional facsimile leaves not included in the main exhibition will also be presented.

Marek Zágora

Translated with the help of GPT chat.

Curator: Marek Zágora