Illuminating the Word
From July 12 - September 7, The Tacoma Art Museum is hosting an incredible exhibit that harkens back to the time when all books were laboriously written by hand. Illuminating the Word showcases the first three books of the St. John’s Bible, one of only two handwritten bibles created in the past 500 years. It is one amazing work of art! And it’s BIG! Each page measures 24 ½” high x 15 7/8” wide, and the two-page spreads on exhibit make for a spectacular display. It is truly mindboggling that scribes from around the world used quill pens, inks, paint brushes, gold leaf and other simple tools (also on display) to write and illuminate this seven volume, 1,100 page bible. Illuminating The Word is one awe-inspiring exhibit!
This exhibition is devoted to a single work of art, an illuminated, handwritten Bible commissioned by Saint John’s University and Abbey in Minnesota. This contemporary Bible is at once old and new: a masterpiece of the ancient crafts of calligraphy and illumination that could only be made by artists of today. The Saint John’s Bible is being created by professional scribes in a scriptorium in Wales, under the direction of Donald Jackson, one of the world’s foremost calligraphers. Begun at the start of the new millennium, this unique undertaking combines a centuries-old tradition of craftsmanship with the latest capabilities of computer technology and electronic communication. It is a collaborative effort, involving many persons in both Wales and the United States. In the Middle Ages, monumental Bibles weremade for daily use in monastic communities, yet they were carefully preserved for future generations. The Saint John’s Bible is the modern representative of that great tradition. The pages of the Bibles shown in this exhibition represent a work in progress. The completion date for the St. John’s Bible is 2008.
…quoted from The Library of Congress Online Exhibition
Photo #1. Donald Jackson, St. John's Bible Artistic Director, is a world renowned calligrapher and illuminator
Photo #2. Illustration by Donald Jackson with contributions from Chris Tomlinson
Visit these links to find out more about the St. Johns Bible and the exhibit:
Library of Congress, Checklist of Objects
It was an amazing exhibit - I have read about this project for years and was thrilled to see it in person. It was an added bonus I was there the same day as you and got to connect again after all these years!
Hello Kate - I remember hearing Donald Jackson speak and seeing the very first illustration he created, ‘Matthew Frontispiece: The Genealogy of Christ’, at a calligraphy conference in CT way back in 1999! It is incredible. I’ve seen a few more illustrations at subsequent conferences over the years. The exhibit at the TAM was a long time coming, but, as you stated, it was an amazing exhibit! - Michael