Free Library of Philadelphia -- Leaves of Gold Exhibition

LEAVES OF GOLD:
Medieval Manuscripts Exhibition Showcases
More than 55 Free Library Treasures

Leaves of Gold: Treasures of Manuscript Illumination from Philadelphia Collections on display at Philadelphia Museum of Art March 10-May 13, 2001

Book of Hours, Sarum use. ("The Browne Hours"). 1460-70, Flemish. (Widener 3), one of the Free Library manuscripts in the Leaves of Gold exhibition

For years, many of the medieval illuminated manuscripts in Philadelphia area collections have been hidden treasures -- gifts from private collectors, rarely studied by scholars or displayed to a large audience. By far the largest group of these manuscripts in the area is held on the third floor of the Central Library, 1901 Vine Street.

In an exhibition organized by the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL), fully 55 of the catalog listings in the 80-listing exhibition, including some multi-object listings, are from the Free Library's collections. The exhibition, Leaves of Gold: Treasures of Manuscript Illumination from Philadelphia Collections, also includes objects from ten other Philadelphia area institutions.

The Free Library's contributions to the exhibition, ranging from a thirteenth century book of Psalms and leaves from a twelfth-century antiphonal (music book) to a breathtakingly-beautiful edition of an allegorical poem and the family tree of an English king, are from the collections of two prominent Philadelphia residents, John Frederick Lewis and Peter Arrell Brown Widener. "Thanks to the foresight of these remarkable donors, " observes Elliot Shelkrot, Director, "the Free Library holds rich resources in trust for the citizens of Philadelphia to learn and enjoy as well as for the international community of scholars. These books open a window on a remote and magical world that in many ways set the stage for many of the social and political institutions that shape our culture today."

Because of the key role of the Free Library's holdings in the exhibition, it was natural that the Rare Book Department become a central study area for the team of curators and art historians responsible for putting the exhibition together. Many of the other lenders' objects were housed there to allow the team to study the manuscripts and compare them to similar objects. "It has been an exciting time for us," comments William Lang, head of the Rare Book Department. "Working closely with these scholars has given us a deeper appreciation of the strength of our collections."

As an outgrowth of that effort, Lang and his colleagues have prepared a companion exhibition, Other Leaves: Medieval and Renaissance Manuscripts from the John Frederick Lewis Collection, on display in the Rare Book Department from March 12 to June 15.Other PACSCL members are also planning complementary exhibitions of medieval manuscripts, early printed books, and related materials. "This is definitely medieval season in Philadelphia," says Lang. "People could easily plan a full-immersion weekend, especially the weekend of April 21-22, when we'll have special Sunday hours, a children's concert, and a lecture by one of the world's leading authorities on medieval manuscripts."

Leaves of Gold will leave several lasting legacies. A full color exhibition catalog is being published, and for those with access to the World Wide Web, a special web site will present much of the exhibition's text and images along with educational features. A companion CD-ROM will showcase seven of the manuscripts from the exhibition -- "four of them are ours," adds Lang. And, the entire exhibition will travel to Nashville, Tennessee to be the opening attraction at the new Frist Gallery in September.

For additional information on the Leaves of Gold exhibition, visit the PACSCL web site at http://www.pacscl.org/ or see the special exhibition web site at http://www.leavesofgold.org/