Duquesne to Display First Modern Illuminated Manuscript of ‘The Saint John’s Bible’

An illuminated Bible created using materials and techniques of medieval manuscripts will be featured in an upcoming Gumberg Library exhibition.

 

Sally Mae Joseph applies gesso over a frisket stencil in preparation for the gilding of the small squares and rectangles which appear throughout the book of Psalms. Once the gesso has dried and the gold has been laid and burnished, the frisket is pulled away, leaving perfectly sharp edges. This new technique gives Sally tremendous control gilding the geometric shapes.
Sally Mae Joseph applies gesso over a frisket stencil in preparation for the gilding of the small squares and rectangles which appear throughout the book of Psalms. Once the gesso has dried and the gold has been laid and burnished, the frisket is pulled away, leaving perfectly sharp edges. This new technique gives Sally tremendous control gilding the geometric shapes. Copyright Derek Evan, HUW Evans Agency, Cardiff, Wales.

A celebrated work of art and theology, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition will be on display in the fourth-floor Popular Reading Room from Monday, Nov. 11, through Friday, Dec. 20. The Heritage Edition is a full-size fine art edition of the original manuscript. 

The seven-volume handwritten, hand-illuminated, large-format manuscript was commissioned by the Benedictine monks of Saint John’s Abbey in Minnesota. Beginning in 1995, artistic director and renowned calligrapher Donald Jackson led a team of 23 artists, scribes and assistants who worked together for nearly 15 years to complete the monumental manuscript. The original folios of The Saint John’s Bible are on display at the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library in Collegeville, Minn.

“Since the early centuries of the church, Benedictine Monks have illuminated manuscripts of the Bible in extraordinarily beautiful ways,” the Rev. James McCloskey, C.S.Sp., senior advisor to President Ken Gormley, said. “This latest project is a contemporary attempt to be faithful to that legacy.”

Bound in leather and featuring vibrant calligraphy and imagery, The Heritage Edition serves as an extension of the original work. This fine-art edition allows viewers to closely examine and interact with the artistry, care and devotion present on each page.

University Librarian Dr. Sara Baron said the works must be viewed in person to best understand their meaning.

“Throughout the work, gold leaf represents the divine. Special lighting will help visitors see the mastery, the beauty and the divine that transcends the page,” Baron said. “Rarely do we have the opportunity to so closely link the mission of the University, the great history of illuminated books and the sacred Word with a modern work of art that embraces science, technology and a spirit of inclusivity.”

Additionally, Tim Ternes, director of The Saint John’s Bible at the Hill Museum and Manuscript Library, will give a public lecture Tuesday, Nov. 19, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The display and events are co-sponsored by Gumberg Library and the Division of Mission and Identity.

For more information about visiting hours and other events, visit www.duq.edu/tsjb.