Genres Explained

What are Beatus manuscripts and how are books of hours structured? We will explain it to you!

Genres Explained: from Bestiaries to Books of Hours

What are Beatus manuscripts and how are books of hours structured? What is special about purple manuscripts and what is the fascination of medieval maps? We will explain it to you!

Alchemy

What is the philosopher’s stone and what other secret knowledge of the alchemists has been passed down in enigmatic and…

Apocalypses

Known as the Apocalypse during the Middle Ages, the Book of Revelations is one of the most widely read and hotly debated…

Architecture / Engineering

Enchanted by the gracefulness of flying arches and stained-glass windows? Or are you more interested in the machinery…

Astronomy / Astrology

Do the constellations capture your imagination the way they did the imaginations of medieval star-gazers? These…

Beatus Manuscripts

Explore the unique aesthetics and incredible color palette of the impressive book art resulting from the famous Beatus…

Bestiaries

Are you an animal-lover? Can’t get enough nature documentaries? The popularity of these beautiful manuscripts filled…

Bibles

You would assume that Bibles were the most commonly produced medieval manuscript, right? Wrong. The sheer size of the…

Books of Hours

What is a book of hours? A prayer book for personal use based upon the “offices” or official prayers that were to be…

Botany / Herb Books

Are you interested in botany and herbal pharmacology? These manuscripts represent a bridge between the wisdom of…

Calendars

Have you ever heard of “labors of the month”? These scenes representing a year in the life of medieval Europeans were…

Chronicles

Take a deep dive into history with a medieval chronicler, trace the history of the world or focus on the history of a…

Costume Books

Are you a fashion aficionado or a cultural historian? So-called “costume books” not only chronicle various folk costumes…

Games

Surely the life in the Middle Ages was nothing but misery and struggle? Of course not! Medieval people enjoyed a good…

Geography / Maps

Most of what you know about world and how you perceive geography is based on maps you have seen. Medieval maps likewise…

Gospel Books

Who were the original Fab Four? Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Luxury Gospel books are among the most precious…

Hunting

Do you think that hunting was a strictly male affair in the Middle Ages? Beautifully illuminated hunting manuscripts not…

Islamic

Are you interested in the history of philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, alchemy, cartography, and medicine? Islamic…

Judaica

Judaism has one of the oldest written traditions in the world and medieval Hebrew manuscripts count among some of the…

Knights / Fencing

Are you skilled with a blade, or just curious about those who were? The knight is one of the most important and iconic…

Leonardo da Vinci

Leonardo da Vinci left behind such a wealth of notebooks that these thousands of pages leaves one asking: is there…

Literature

Much like today, medieval readers were looking for stories full of excitement and adventure that would take them out of…

Lost Manuscripts

Many manuscripts have been lost over the centuries, destroyed in fires or war, and others have been the victim of…

Medicine

Eye of newt, and toe of frog? Hardly. Botanical remedies were the backbone of medieval medicine, and these recipes are…

Model Books

Starting out as useful resources for apprentices, model books gradually became known as sketchbooks and their purpose…

Music / Poetry

Do you feel elevated by monastic chant? Are you a sucker for chivalric love poetry? Music and poetry were among the most…

Mythology

Would you like to follow in the footsteps of heroes from Greek and Roman mythology or serve King Arthur by seeking the…

Prayer Books

Interested in a personal glimpse into the personality of a famous medieval figure? Prayer books were small codices…

Primers / Textbooks

How were little lords and ladies educated in the Middle Ages? They usually began with a private tutor and a primer – a…

Prophecy

Do you wish to know the unknowable? So did medieval prophets, who attempted everything from predicting the fate of the…

Psalters

Before the emergence of the book of hours, Psalters were the most popular type of private devotional manuscript and…

Purple Manuscripts

What does purple make you think of? Power and luxury of course because purple was the imperial color, the color of the…

Saints' Lives

How does one become a saint? Find out by reading about the lives of the saints and the example they set through their…

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Genres Explained