The Bryn Mawr College Library is currently holding an exhibit in its special collections on medieval manucripts. Entitled Intimate Devotions: The Book of Hours in Medieval Religious Practice, it focuses on the role of the prayer book in individual's lives during the middle ages, with some surprising results.
The exhibit displays a number of beautiful illuminated manuscripts, and illustrates the interactive and personal nature of the Book of Hours. Individuals inserted prayers of their choosing, wrote in the margins, and had the pages illuminated with relevant themes. Particularly interesting is the exhibit's focus on borders featuring non-traditional (read: un-Christian) figures. I was suprised to see monkey-like humans as well as mythical characters gracing the pages of a Christian prayer book.
The exhibit is informative and not overwhelming, and the manuscripts are beautiful. Viewings are free and open to the public through May30th. Visit the special collections website to learn more ( www.brynmawr.edu/library/exhibitions).
