Medieval illuminated manuscripts

Medieval illuminated manuscripts

Explore digitised images of medieval manuscript illumination. Find out more about the significant provenances of the manuscripts, and how they came to the University of Leeds Library.

1.1 Special Collections Manuscripts

Medieval manuscripts collected by the University Library in 1925, University of Leeds Special Collections

1.2 Brotherton Collection Manuscripts

Lord Brotherton's collecting of medieval manuscripts, held at the University fo Leeds Special Collections

1.3 Ripon Cathedral Manuscripts

Medieval illuminated manuscripts from the Ripon Cathedral collection, held at the University of Leeds Special Collections

2.1 French medieval illuminated manuscripts

French medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

2.2 French medieval illuminated manuscripts: part 2

French medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

2.3 Southern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts

Southern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

2.4 Northern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts

Northern Netherlands medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

2.5 Italian medieval illuminated manuscripts

Italian medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

Pan and other mythical creatures (fol. 97r)

2.6 German medieval illuminated manuscripts

German medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

2.7 English medieval illuminated manuscripts

English medieval illuminated manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

3 Manuscripts in detail

Illuminated medieval manuscripts at the University of Leeds, Special Collections

3.1 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 1]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 1: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.2 Breviarium ad Usum Parisiensem [BC MS 2]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 2: [Breviarium ad Usum Parisiensem], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.3 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 3]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 3: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.4 Hours of Antoine de Crèvecœur [BC MS 4]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 4: [Hours of Antoine de Crèvecœur], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.5 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 5]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 5: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.6 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 6]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 6: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.7 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 7]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 7: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.8 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 8]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 8: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.9 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 9]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.10 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 10]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 10: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.11 Preces [BC MS 11]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 11: [Preces], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.12 Preces [BC MS 12]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 12: [Preces], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.13 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 14]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 14: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.14 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 15]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 15: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.15 Beverley prayer book [BC MS 16]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 16: [Beverley prayer book], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.16 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [BC MS 18]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 18: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.17 In epistolas canonicas [BC MS 22]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 22: [In epistolas canonicas], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.18 Legenda aurea sanctorum [BC MS 23]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 23: Legenda aurea sanctorum, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.19 Psalterium [BC MS 24]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 24: [Psalterium], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

BC MS 100: [Biblical and genealogical chronicle from Adam and Eve to Louis XI of France]

3.20 Biblical and genealogical chronicle from Adam and Eve to Louis XI of France [BC MS 100]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS 100: [Biblical and genealogical chronicle from Adam and Eve to Louis XI of France], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.21 Evangelistarium [MS 124]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript MS 124: [Evangelistarium], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.22 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [MS 498]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript MS 498: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.23 Biblia [Ripon Cathedral MS 1]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 1: [Biblia], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

Ripon Cathedral MS 3: [Apocalypsis et Epistolae catholicae, cum glossis]

3.24 Apocalypsis et Epistolae catholicae, cum glossis [Ripon Cathedral MS 3]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 3: [Apocalypsis et Epistolae catholicae, cum glossis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

Ripon Cathedral MS 4: [In Apocalypsim; Threni Ieremie cum glossis]

3.25 In Apocalypsim; Threni Ieremie cum glossis [Ripon Cathedral MS 4]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 4: [In Apocalypsim; Threni Ieremie cum glossis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

BC MS Frag. 1: Three single leaves from medieval liturgical manuscripts

3.26 Three single leaves from medieval liturgical manuscripts [BC MS Frag. 1]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript BC MS Frag. 1: Three single leaves from medieval liturgical manuscripts, held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

3.27 Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis [Ripon Cathedral MS 9]

View a high-resolution digitised version of the illuminated medieval manuscript Ripon Cathedral MS 9: [Horae Beatae Mariae Virginis], held in Special Collections at Leeds University Library.

Use this resource to explore digitised images of manuscript illumination from the University of Leeds Special Collections. Find out more about the history of the manuscripts, and how they came to Leeds University Library.

Medieval illuminated manuscripts provide unique opportunities for scholarship. We have showcased significant examples of illumination in 27 medieval manuscripts selected from three areas of our collections. The illuminations include miniatures, historiated initials and decorated borders.

We have digitised each page as part of an ongoing project to produce full digital surrogates of each of our medieval manuscripts to sit alongside catalogue records. Over 5000 images have been created so far with relevant descriptive detail added to the catalogue.

Each of the digitised manuscripts can be viewed, detail can be magnified and the descriptions of illuminated pages can be browsed.

The significant provenances of individual manuscripts are described by Dr Katja Monier, former Manuscripts Librarian in Special Collections. She explores the distribution of the manuscripts across three collections and provides new insight into the provenances, detailing the geographic origins, ownerships and creators of the illustrations.

You can also search illuminated page descriptions in our medieval manuscripts collection guide.