Online Books & Images
These sites offer scanned images of manuscript and printed pages, illuminations and texts.
The Medieval & Renaissance History Manuscript Image Gallery
A small but growing collection of copyright-free, full-sized graphics of manuscript pages, including selections from the Book of Kells and the first page of the Beowulf manuscript.
A small but growing collection of copyright-free, full-sized graphics of manuscript pages, including selections from the Book of Kells and the first page of the Beowulf manuscript.
Images from the Book of Kells
Public-domain images from the Book of Kells, free for your use, here at the Medieval History site.
Public-domain images from the Book of Kells, free for your use, here at the Medieval History site.
Les Très Riches Heures Image Gallery
See some very fine scans of a selection of miniatures, including the twelve calendar pages and "Anatomical Man," here at the Medieval History Site.
See some very fine scans of a selection of miniatures, including the twelve calendar pages and "Anatomical Man," here at the Medieval History Site.
The Aberdeen Bestiary Project
Every page online, with commentary and background, that you can browse, search, or access via index; plus a history of the manuscript, codicology, references, and bibliography.
Every page online, with commentary and background, that you can browse, search, or access via index; plus a history of the manuscript, codicology, references, and bibliography.
Alciato's Book of Emblems
Searchable online edition of the Emblematum liber in English and Latin, with illustrations and commentaries.
Searchable online edition of the Emblematum liber in English and Latin, with illustrations and commentaries.
Bodleian Library: Western manuscripts to c. 1500
The "Bod" at Oxford University has placed hundreds of manuscript images online, which you can browse from this page. The site also includes helpful info on Bodleian shelfmarks and how to cite them as well as other colleges that have manuscripts on deposit there.
The "Bod" at Oxford University has placed hundreds of manuscript images online, which you can browse from this page. The site also includes helpful info on Bodleian shelfmarks and how to cite them as well as other colleges that have manuscripts on deposit there.
Book of Hours Illuminated for the Daughter of Francis I
Description and 20 excellent scans of the gorgeous 16th-century manuscript, which is on file at the Spalding University Library.
Description and 20 excellent scans of the gorgeous 16th-century manuscript, which is on file at the Spalding University Library.
The Brut
Manuscript images from the legendary chronicle of England are provided at various sizes by the Humanities Text Initiative. Background and technical information is also available.
Manuscript images from the legendary chronicle of England are provided at various sizes by the Humanities Text Initiative. Background and technical information is also available.
The Catalan Atlas
Forty images of pages from the 14th-century world atlas, provided by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Forty images of pages from the 14th-century world atlas, provided by the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
Catalogue of Digitized Medieval Manuscripts
This database at UCLA has been designed to help you find any medieval manuscript that has been digitized and placed on the web. Extensive and extremely useful.
This database at UCLA has been designed to help you find any medieval manuscript that has been digitized and placed on the web. Extensive and extremely useful.
The Gutenberg Bible at the Harry Ransom Center
The HRC at the University of Texas at Austin has spent a year digitizing its intriguing two-volume copy of the first book printed in movable type. The website offers fascinating info on printing and the bible itself as well as a fine image of every page, each of which is available in a larger version.
The HRC at the University of Texas at Austin has spent a year digitizing its intriguing two-volume copy of the first book printed in movable type. The website offers fascinating info on printing and the bible itself as well as a fine image of every page, each of which is available in a larger version.
Gutenberg Digital
This complicated site requires some familiarization, but it's worth it for the splendid array of options for viewing the Gutenberg Bible. Set your browser window as wide as you can to enjoy the large, vivid images.
This complicated site requires some familiarization, but it's worth it for the splendid array of options for viewing the Gutenberg Bible. Set your browser window as wide as you can to enjoy the large, vivid images.
Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry
Beautiful, vivid scans of all 201 plates, with explanatory text and several versions of each plate in different sizes, at the Christus Rex Online Museum.
Beautiful, vivid scans of all 201 plates, with explanatory text and several versions of each plate in different sizes, at the Christus Rex Online Museum.
Life, Death and Miracles of Saint Jerome
A collection of images from the late 15th- or early 16th-century French book includes photos of the binding, large jpegs of pages, and a complete set of vivid miniatures.
A collection of images from the late 15th- or early 16th-century French book includes photos of the binding, large jpegs of pages, and a complete set of vivid miniatures.
The Life of King Edward the Confessor
View the manuscript folio by folio and use the "zoom" feature to focus on the parts that interest you; or read the descriptions and select the folio you want from there. Nicely prepared at the Cambridge University Library.
View the manuscript folio by folio and use the "zoom" feature to focus on the parts that interest you; or read the descriptions and select the folio you want from there. Nicely prepared at the Cambridge University Library.
The Murthly Hours
This early example of the book of hours was probably written and illuminated in Paris in the 1280s, and it is now one of Scotland's great medieval treasures. In addition to online images of the folios, the website offers background on the manuscript's history and information on John Higgitt's study on the subject, published in 2000.
This early example of the book of hours was probably written and illuminated in Paris in the 1280s, and it is now one of Scotland's great medieval treasures. In addition to online images of the folios, the website offers background on the manuscript's history and information on John Higgitt's study on the subject, published in 2000.
Mystere dou jour dou jugement
Dozens of images from the manuscript of the 14th-century mystery play are displayed at Brigham Young University. A plot summary is also provided.
Dozens of images from the manuscript of the 14th-century mystery play are displayed at Brigham Young University. A plot summary is also provided.
Renaissance Festival Books
The British Library has placed 253 of its Festival books on its website for you to view online. The books describe the festivals that occurred from the late 15th into the 18th centuries. Read the digitised books in their original languages or get high-level analysis and opinion from acknowledged experts.
The British Library has placed 253 of its Festival books on its website for you to view online. The books describe the festivals that occurred from the late 15th into the 18th centuries. Read the digitised books in their original languages or get high-level analysis and opinion from acknowledged experts.
Turning the Pages
Using technology it developed to increase public access to its treasures, the British Library offers several medieval manuscripts to view page by page, including the Lindisfarne Gospels and Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Arundel. You'll need the free Macromedia Shockwave player to enjoy the books.
Using technology it developed to increase public access to its treasures, the British Library offers several medieval manuscripts to view page by page, including the Lindisfarne Gospels and Leonardo da Vinci's Codex Arundel. You'll need the free Macromedia Shockwave player to enjoy the books.
The Tyndale New Testament
Very nice image and some background history on the rare volume at the British Library. Click the graphic for a splendid larger version.
Very nice image and some background history on the rare volume at the British Library. Click the graphic for a splendid larger version.