£265,000 research grant awarded to the British Library
ROYAL: Illuminated Manuscripts of the Kings and Queens of England
04 August 2008
The British Library has been awarded £265,000 by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to fund a major research project into the Library's collection of medieval and Renaissance Royal illuminated manuscripts. The project, a collaboration with The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London, will culminate in a major exhibition at the British Library in 2011-2012.
In 1757, King George II presented approximately 1,950 manuscripts from the royal library to the newly founded British Museum. Since that time, the manuscripts have remained together as a distinct collection labelled ROYAL, the British Library having been home to the collection since 1973. ROYAL preserves the medieval and Renaissance library of the Kings and Queens of England, and the collection of illuminated manuscripts represents the largest surviving collection of medieval and Renaissance painting owned by English monarchs.
Remarkably, the Royal illuminated manuscripts, taken as a group, have not before been the subject of a research project or major exhibition. This AHRC grant will fund the first comprehensive investigation into the collection, culminating in a major public exhibition of illuminated Royal manuscripts in 2011-12, the first time that so many of these exquisitely illustrated manuscripts will be seen side by side. The manuscripts featured will include the French presentation copy of Philippe de Mézières's letter to Richard II; the Shrewsbury Book of romances presented to Margaret of Anjou, wife of Henry VI, as a gift for their marriage in 1445; and chronicles and histories produced in southern Netherlands for Edward IV.
Approximately 400 illuminated manuscripts from the Royal collection with significant medieval or Renaissance decoration have been selected for further study. Each manuscript will be examined individually, to uncover details including patronage – who commissioned the manuscript and why – as well as information about the artist, scribe, and how it may have been received and used by the King or Queen who once owned it. The project will represent the first systematic analysis of the use of narrative and decorative imagery in medieval manuscripts in this royal library, resulting in a comprehensive review of the medieval and Renaissance painting in manuscripts owned by English monarchs.
As well as informing the 2011 exhibition, the research will become part of the British Library's free illustrated online Catalogue of Illuminated Manuscripts (CIM). The grant from the AHRC will also support and deliver a virtual exhibition and online introductory ‘tours' of the Royal collection for visitors to the British Library website.
The project team will be led by two internationally-recognised experts in illuminated manuscripts: Dr Scot McKendrick, Head of Western Manuscripts at the British Library, and Professor John Lowden of The Courtauld Institute of Art, University of London. The project will be overseen by an international advisory board, and the findings will be presented in an international conference on the collection to be held at the end of the project.
Dr Scot McKendrick, Head of Western Manuscripts at the British Library, commented:
“The Royal collection represents the only intact medieval and Renaissance English royal manuscript collection and is an important resource for English medieval history and art history, containing by far the largest surviving collection of medieval and Renaissance painting owned by English monarchs. Its importance can hardly be overstated.
“I am delighted that the Arts and Humanities Research Council is supporting the British Library in our collaboration with the Courtauld Institute of Art. The AHRC funding will enable us to carry out the first comprehensive investigation into the Royal collection, culminating in a major exhibition of these magnificent manuscripts in 2011.”
Professor John Lowden, The Courtauld Institute of Art, said: ‘I am delighted to be involved in this AHRC-funded three-year collaborative venture with the British Library, and in particular with the BL's department of manuscripts. It is indeed a privilege to be able to play a part in the planning, research, and organisation of ‘ROYAL', an exhibition that we trust––and will work hard to ensure––will be both scholarly and popular.'
For further information, images or interviews, please contact Ruth Howlett at the British Library Press Office: +44 (0)20 7412 7112 or ruth.howlett@bl.uk
NOTES FOR EDITORS
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom and one of the world's greatest research libraries. It provides world-class information services to the academic, business, research and scientific communities and offers unparalleled access to the world's largest and most comprehensive research collection. The Library's collection has developed over 250 years and exceeds 150 million separate items representing every age of written civilisation. It includes books, journals, manuscripts, maps, stamps, music, patents, newspapers and sound recordings in all written and spoken languages. www.bl.uk
The Courtauld Institute of Art is one of the world's leading centres for the study of the history and conservation of art and architecture, and its Gallery houses one of Britain's best-loved collections. Based at Somerset House, The Courtauld is an independent college of the University of London. www.courtauld.ac.uk
The Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) funds postgraduate training and research in the arts and humanities, from archaeology and English literature to design and dance. The quality and range of research supported not only provides social and cultural benefits, but also contributes to the economic success of the UK. For further information on the AHRC, please see the website www.ahrc.ac.uk