David playing a harp from BL YT 23, f. 147

Detail of an historiated initial 'D'(omine) with King David playing his harp, at the beginning of the Penitential Psalms. Image taken from f. 147 of Book of Hours, Use of Rome ('The Hours of Agostino Biliotti'). Written in Latin.

David was a skilled musician and poet, and he played the harp to soothe King Saul when he was tormented by evil spirits. David's musical abilities and his role as a psalmist also led him to be associated with the worship of God and with the expression of devotion and praise. The image of David playing the harp remains a symbol of the connection between music, worship, and devotion in Western tradition.

Henry Yates Thompson (1838-1928) was a British collector and philanthropist who assembled this remarkable collection over his lifetime. The collection is now housed at the British Library in London.

Henry Yates Thompson was born into a wealthy family in 1838. Thompson began collecting manuscripts and other items in the 1870s. His collection quickly gained recognition for its exceptional quality and breadth. He had a keen eye for illuminated manuscripts, which are manuscripts decorated with intricate illustrations and calligraphy. The collection has a particular emphasis on medieval manuscripts.