The Holkham Bible Picture Book

England, fourteenth century
Rounded Gothic bookhand

British Library, London (Great Britain)
Ms. Add. 47680

Date of Publication of the Facsimile: 1954
Publisher: The Dropmore Press, London (Great Britain)
Plates printed by: The University Press, Oxford (Great Britain)

The Holkham Bible is named after Holkham (Norfolk), where the manuscript was kept until it came to the British Museum. It is not a continuous retelling of the Bible. Incorporating much apocryphal material, it first recounts the events related in Genesis up until the Flood, continues with the Life of Christ, then goes up to the Second Coming of Christ.

Commissioned by a Dominican patron, this work was intended for the edification of the merchant classes and was meant to be carried around by a preacher whon would show it to his wealthy listeners as they were being instructed. The text is in Anglo-Norman. The amount of text suggests that the book was meant for people who could read reasonably well, but not fluently.

(Permission to reproduce images from this facsimile was not granted.)

Picture Bible

Hours of Mary of Burgundy