Imperial Splendor: The Art of the Book in the Holy Roman Empire, 800-1500

The Morgan Library & Museum, 2021 4to (28.5 cm), 216 pp. Publisher's cloth and dust jacket. Published to accompany an exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum October 15, 2021 - January,23, 2023. "The catalogue presents a fascinating history of illuminated manuscripts within the Holy Roman Empire. Focusing on production and patronage, this new volume features over 150 images of magnificently illustrated books and precious bindings, drawn largely from North American collections. The book’s three sections are arranged chronologically, yet in each case with a different thematic focus. Opening with a look at the precedents set by the Carolingian forerunners of the Empire, the first section considers deluxe imperial manuscripts associated with the Ottonian emperors. The second section examines the role of imperial monasteries in the production of manuscripts, considering in particular the patronage of aristocratic elites. The final section offers a tour of imperial cities in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, from Vienna and Prague to Augsburg and Nuremberg. This final stop considers the impact of Albrecht Dürer and humanism on the arts of the book. The volume features a glossary, indexes, and maps showing the shifting borders of the Empire over 700 years." (publisher's synopsis)