News – Codex Calixtinus Stolen
One of the rarest and most beautiful illuminated manscripts dating from the 12th century is missing from the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It is the Codex Calixtinus. The miniature of Saint Jacob above is from this guidebook. It is a book that will literally take your breath away with it’s beauty. Here is the link to the story on the BBC News site.
Here is a second link to the story in the Guardian with a beautiful leaf from the codex.
3 comments
It’s a shame. I do not believe that rare manuscripts get the sort of attention that other valuable antique objects often receive. Remember the case not too long ago of a man who used an exacto knife to remove medieval miniatures from rare books and manuscripts in the reading room of a famous library? He was eventually caught, but he made quite a small fortune selling these medieval miniatures to bookstores and collecters. By the way, my own experience as taught me that most art dealers and book dealers are unscrupulous, and do not care where the objects were acquired or how. Unfortunately, I do not remember which library, but it was in the news.)
I agree. You may be remembering the box cutter thief, César Gómez Rivero, at the Spanish National Library.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21757259/ns/world_news-wonderful_world/t/rare-maps-returned-spains-national-library/
Thanks! I things like this have gone in most major library archives. Even thge Vatican Library has been victimized in this manner. It is interesting to mention that my father purchased some leafs from the Mannessee manuscript in Dayton, Ohio back in the 1950’s. I do not know if these are original miniatures, or very good reproductions. I have four examples of them, I would be curious to know if they 1) Original 2. Acquired legally from Nurmberg, germany. Images of the Mannessee ms. are available online.