Greetings to all,
Thanks to all who replied to my note on the Biblia pauperum. There were 10
replies on 12 hours. Eight asked outright for notification of publication,
two raised interesting questions.
I have already written to Peter Brinkley accepting his offer of help on the
procedure for getting and ISBN number.
The other inquiry from Angus Graham, suggested that more information on the
Biblia pauperum be provided.
There is no lack of other facsimiles of the Biblia pauperum (Pauper's
bible) being available. The Morgan Library in New York has, if my memory
serves me correctly, ten original editions of the 40 page version printed
c.1460.There is one facsimile version of a Biblia pauperum presently in
Hungary in both Hungarian and English translation. The Cornell Press
printed a version by Averil Henry a few years ago priced c.$99.00. There is
one in Danish edited by Knud Banning.
The Biblia pauperum is an early block print book, derived from a number of
handwritten/drawn manuscripts. Each page shows a image of a theological
episode, separated by arches from two other images referring to the same
theme from the Old Testament or Apocrypha. Four bible verses are shown
above and below the three images.
The facsimile Biblia pauperum that I am thinking of producing, has ten more
pages than the other facsimiles. Angus Graham was kind enough to include in
his note to me, a reference to DBI -link.
I tried that link and found 252 entries under the heading Biblia pauperum,
but only one #86, was the third copy that I have located outside of my own.
If you are really interested in the Bublia Pauperum, why be limited to the
study of the 40 page version when a 50 page is available?
Several respondents asked about price. You must now suffer from a part of
my philosophy of life.
I am 86, I have known of two primary source areas for over 20 years. In my
eyes, primary source items should be made available to as many as possible.
In the case of the 50 page Biblia pauperum, what religious motifs were
added? I know that the 50 page version was, quite possibly, the last of the
block books. Caxton took the newly developed movable type printing press
back to England and printed the first book in English. The paper for this
book was made in the same papermill as the paper used for the 50 page
Biblia pauperum
As I say above, I'm 86. At my age how much more can I expect to do? I can
make a small profit on selling the CD for $10.00+handling. I taught
chemistry in a college of pharmacy to 30 years and blundered into the
medieval art of Denmark by accident. I am trying to call attention to a
vast body of information quite unknown, at this time, to the world scholar.
But for the moment, let younger and more skilled scholars use a rare tool
that will broaden our knowledge of the late 1400's.
As to release date of the CD, the major delay will be getting the ISBN
number. As I get more information, I will post notices.
Thank you for your kindness and help, Jim Mills
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