Free Library of Philadelphia -- Medieval exhibition and programs

"Homer" fr. Les dits moraulx des philosophes. FLP Ms209 (Morris gift).

EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS (Main)
Other Leaves: Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts from the John Frederick Lewis Collection

Rare Book Department, Central Library, 1901 Vine Street
March 12 - June 15, 2001

John Frederick Lewis (1865-1932), during a lifetime of collecting, assembled one of the great American collections of illuminated manuscripts, and donated it to the Free Library toward the end of his life. Some of the most splendid of these manuscripts will be on view in the exhibition Leaves of Gold at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, March 10 -- May 13, 2001. The Rare Book Department will exhibit a broad range of other manuscripts from the collection, showing the great variety of scholarly, religious, and everyday books produced in Europe between 800 and 1550.

The Rare Book Department is open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. The department will be open Sunday, April 22, 1 to 5 pm.

Workshops:
The Traveling Scriptorium -- When Books Were Rare and Beautiful

Especially for young learners! Workshops at twenty branches city-wide introduce medieval illuminations. Students will make their own illuminated initials under the direction of book artist Meg Kennedy and actor/storyteller Ed Stivender. [schedule]

Lecture:
There will be a lecture on illuminated manuscripts by the distinguished scholar Christopher de Hamel, Sunday, April 22, 3:30 pm. in the Rare Book Department, Central Library. Seating is limited; please call 215.686.5416 to reserve a seat.

Concert:
Free children's concert by Piffaro: The Renaissance Band, Sunday, April 22, 2 pm. The virtuosos of Piffaro will play recorders, bagpipes, sackbuts, and other instruments of the period, and will demonstrate how their instruments work.