An English 13th Century Bestiary, A New Discovery In The Technique Of Medieval Illumination

H.P. Kraus, New York, 1942; First Edition, limited; large 8vo (7 1/2" x 10 1/2"); 45 pages of text plus 8 pages of illustrations; publisher’s advertisement at the rear. A scholarly examination of the Kraus 13th century illuminated English "Bestiary" or "Animal Book," used in the middle ages as a means of educating laymen in the science of natural history and as a method for instilling Christian morals and doctrine. Bestiaries are notable for including not only elements of the natural world such as birds, mammals, and stones, but entirely fabulous ones, such as the dragon and phoenix bird. The authors here divide their investigation into two sections. The first, a detailed study of the descension of the Kraus manuscript from the seminal second century Greek "Bestiarium" of Physiologus, includes a complete concordance to known early Latin versions, including those of Chrysostom, Hugo, et. al. The second is devoted to an analysis of the illustrations, some realistic, others fabulous, but all reflective of the world view of medieval science. A major achievement of the study was the discovery of pinpricks, of the type used in the making of pouncing stencils, which led to the conclusion that the Kraus manuscript was in fact a "model book," or "original," used by artists to copy from when creating other manuscripts. Illustrated with eight pages of b&w photographs, containing nearly forty Illuminated miniatures reproduced from the manuscript. Authored by Samuel A. Ives of the Plimpton Library, Columbia University, and Hellmut Lehmann-Haupt, assistant professor of book arts, Columbia University. Published by notable rare books dealer H.P. Kraus in a limited edition of 300 copies. Very Good, in light green paper-covered boards with dark green titles and front board illustration, clean, crisp, bright, and sharp. There is a small stain encompassing the lower right corner of the exterior surface only of the rear board.