Detail from BL Sloane 1044, f. 52v

Detail of decorated initial 'P'(aulus), from a fragment of a 12th-century copy of 1 Thessalonians. Image taken from f. 52v of Fragments of a glossed Bible of 1 Thessalonians 2:13-3:3 (f. 50); 5:2-5:15 (f. 51); 5:17-2 Thessalonians 1:3 (f. 52); Philippians 2:22-3:5. Written in Latin.

Sir Hans Sloane (1660-1753) was a physician and naturalist who played a crucial role in the development of British museums and libraries. Sloane was a fellow of the Royal Society and a physician to the royal family. He also traveled extensively and collected items from all over the world.

Sloane's collection was vast and eclectic, encompassing a wide range of subjects, including natural history, botany, ethnography, medicine, antiquities, and more. His manuscript collection included medieval and early modern texts, as well as materials from various cultures and time periods. His collection formed the basis for the British Museum (now part of the British Library), the Natural History Museum, and the British Museum Library (now part of the British Library).

detail sloane bl sloane manuscripts medieval latin manuscript decorated initials bible illuminated initials medieval manuscript illustrated books medieval miniatures 12th century british library

1100 - 1200

British Library

http://europeana.eu/

Public Domain