Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts in Boston Collections by Jeffrey F. Hamburger et al., and: Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts in Boston Collections eds. by Jeffrey F. Hamburger et al.
Jessica Brantley
Reviewed by: Beyond Words: Illuminated Manuscripts in Boston Collections by Jeffrey F. Hamburger et al., and: eds. al. Jessica Brantley Collections. Exhibition at the Houghton Library, Harvard University (12 September–10 December 2016); McMullen Museum of Art, College September–11 and Isabella Stewart Gardner (22 September 2016–16 January 2017). Curated Hamburger, William P. Stoneman, Anne-Marie Eze, Lisa Fagin Davis, Nancy Netzer. Netzer, Boston: College, 2016. $85. ISBN: 978-189-28-5026-3. It is task an art reviewer to supply words that describe mute objects. But announced topic exhibition recently on view three venues commemorated extensive eponymous catalog makes this unusually difficult. Words was exceptionally rich comprehensive gathering illuminated manuscripts from numerous museums libraries, tracing landmarks development early books seventh century sixteenth. Moreover, showcased a number significant objects have remained relatively unknown most scholars. Hailed as "the largest medieval printed ever held North America" (p. 11), event marked moment for manuscript studies both world scholarship also broader public sphere. If pleasures are not exactly inexpressible—and I will do my best them here—its achievements nonetheless exceed easy summary. first assemble group, highlighting resources might otherwise be overlooked because they dispersed among many institutions area. Unusually, itself spread over [End Page 256] proximate venues: University's College's Museum. Everywhere project showed triumph collaborative spirit considerable logistical challenge, only did nineteen local lend materials, but eighty-three scholars contributed writing entries catalog. Occasionally hands work produced repetitions visible few who would read straight through (multiple explanations Carolingian minuscule, example, 15 16). Cross-references entries—which appear helpfully elsewhere—might allowed contributors avoid such duplication. Nonetheless, testament years successful cooperation individuals institutions, inspiring example fruit collaboration humanities can bear. Each venue took up different topic, although each could stood alone, worked together tell developing story. The part, focusing Church Cloister (Houghton), included those made itself, more Middle Ages than later periods. second Pleasure Piety (McMullen), extensive, ranging widely lay readers: devotional books, classical chivalric ones, well professional volumes practice law medicine. Finally, Italian Humanist Books (Gardner) offered fifteenth sixteenth centuries with narrower geographical focus. This final collection emphasized humanist interests content form, often imitating aesthetics classics, or Renaissance, even it navigated transition books. sections were explicitly divided audience (religious, lay, humanist), overlaid division additional, implicit, division: chronology moved late advent humanism printing press. Although symmetry between audiences periods perfect, congruence familiar, provides smooth way organize mass material usefully. Houghton...
Manuscript studies